Legendary Hollywood actor Bruce Willis is retiring from acting. The actor has been diagnosed with aphasia, a disease that has hampered his “cognitive abilities,” his family revealed on Wednesday. He is 67. 

“This is a really challenging time for our family and we are so appreciative of your continued love, compassion and support,” his family said in a statement.

Willis who has been part of several hit films like ‘Die Hard’ and ‘Pulp Fiction’ rose to fame in the 1980s comedy-drama TV series ‘Moonlighting,’ and has since then appeared in about 100 films across his four-decade career. He has even won a Golden Globe Award and two Emmys.

Willis is perhaps best known for playing the tough-as-nails New York cop who pursued bad guys in the five ‘Die Hard’ movies, released from 1988 to 2013.

Willis married actress Demi Moore and the two were considered one of Hollywood’s most popular couples in the 1990s until they announced their divorce in 2000. The two share three daughters together. The couple to date remain close friends. Willis is now married to model and actress Emma Hemming with whom he shares two children. 

“We are moving through this as a strong family unit, and wanted to bring his fans in because we know how much he means to you, as you do to him,” said the statement, which was signed by the actor’s family and shared on Instagram by Demi Moore and their daughter Rumer.

What is Aphasia?

Aphasia is a disorder most commonly caused by a stroke that can also stem from head trauma or, in rare cases, from neurological disease. Symptoms vary widely and can affect speech, comprehension and reading ability. In some instances, aphasia can be treated with speech therapy.

Ever since the news of his diagnosis broke out, the actor’s peers and colleagues have been sending heartwarming messages to the actor wishing him a speedy recovery. 

Larry Gordon, producer of the first ‘Die Hard’ movie and its 1990 sequel told The Hollywood Reporter that he  was saddened by the news of Willis’ condition, calling him “the consummate pro and a gutsy guy.”

“Grace and guts! Love to you all!,” actor Jamie Lee Curtis wrote on Demi Moore’s Instagram account beneath a picture of Willis and the family statement.

On social media, his fans shared their feelings of sadness and shock after news of his diagnosis broke, and many of them paid tribute to Willis.

“His work has meant more to me than I could ever put into words,” wrote a fan with the Twitter handle Cody Leach. “If this is in fact the end of your acting career, all I can say is thank you.”

Over the course of his career, the Hollywood veteran has appeared in films grossing more than $2.5 billion, according to the online database IMDB. In 2006, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a Los Angeles landmark honouring legends of film, television and music.