Bruce Willis' family 'grateful' for outpouring of love after aphasia announcement
Bruce Willis' family has one word for the outpouring of love they've received after speaking out about the actor's health struggles: "grateful."
Willis' brood -- including wife Emma Heming, ex-wife Demi Moore and his five daughters -- shared a letter Wednesday informing fans the "Die Hard" star, 67, would be "stepping away" from his career after being diagnosed with aphasia.
In the wake of this announcement, Willis' family is thanking his fellow actors, friends and fans for sending love his way.
"[Y]our love, support, compassion, prayers really help," Heming, who married Willis in 2009, shared Thursday via her Instagram Stories. "I'm grateful. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."
Scout Willis, one of the two-time Emmy winner's daughters with Moore, posted a lengthy note to Instagram on Thursday reflecting "sharing something so personal."
"I didn't know how it would be received, there is always an unknown when sharing out so vulnerably into the world. I'd hoped for some love and compassion, I truly NEVER could have anticipated the depth and breadth of the love we received as a family yesterday," Scout Willis wrote.
"It kept hitting me yesterday how much love, energy, and prayers were now being sent to my daddio and just humbling me in a way that's brings tears as I write this," she continued. "I am so grateful for your love, I'm so grateful to hear about what my papa means to you."
According to the National Aphasia Association, aphasia is "an acquired communication disorder that impairs a person's ability to process language, but does not affect intelligence." The disorder "impairs the ability to speak and understand others," and those with it "experience difficulty reading and writing," the organization also noted.
The NAA said aphasia affects around 2 million people in the U.S. and nearly 180,000 Americans are diagnosed with it every year.
Willis is also dad to daughters Rumer and Tallulah, whom he shares with Moore, and Mabel and Evelyn, whom he shares with Heming.
