Emma Heming Willisis expressing her thanks.Days afterBruce Willis' family announced on social media that the actor, 67, has beendiagnosed with aphasia and is retiring from acting, his wife shared a message for family, friends and fans thanking them for sharing support as they rally around her.“Your love, support, compassion, prayers really help,” Emma, 43, wrote in a post on herInstagram StoryThursday evening. “I’m grateful.““Thank you from the bottom of my heart,” concluded the model, who shares daughtersMabel, 9, andEvelyn, 7, with Bruce.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Emma Heming Willis InstagramTheDie Hardstar’s family shared the news of his aphasia diagnosis on Instagram Wednesday, writingalongside a photo of the actoron their Instagram feeds, “To Bruce’s amazing supporters, as a family we wanted to share that our beloved Bruce has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities.““As a result of this and with much considerationBruce is stepping away from the careerthat has meant so much to him,” the caption added.Want to get the biggest stories fromPEOPLEevery weekday?Subscribe to our new podcast, PEOPLE Every Day, to get the essential celebrity, entertainment and human interest news stories Monday through Friday.Jamie McCarthy/Getty ImagesThey went on to say that it “is a really challenging time” for them all, “and we are so appreciative of your continued love, compassion and support.““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. As Bruce always says, ‘Live it up’ and together we plan to do just that,” they concluded, signing the note from Emma, Mabel and Evelyn, plus Bruce’s ex-wifeDemi Mooreand their daughters Rumer Willis,Scout WillisandTallulah Willis.According toMayo Clinic, aphasia “is a condition that robs you of the ability to communicate. It can affect your ability to speak, write and understand language, both verbal and written.“The group adds that the condition “typically occurs suddenly after a stroke or a head injury. But it can also come on gradually from a slow-growing brain tumor or a disease that causes progressive, permanent damage (degenerative).“People withaphasia experience changes in their ability to communicate, the Mayo Clinic says, and they “may speak in short or incomplete sentences, speak in sentences that don’t make sense, substitute one word for another or one sound for another, speak unrecognizable words, not understand other people’s conversation or write sentences that don’t make sense.“Emma previously sharedanniversary and birthday tributesfor her husband days before his aphasia diagnosis was revealed.
Emma Heming Willisis expressing her thanks.
Days afterBruce Willis' family announced on social media that the actor, 67, has beendiagnosed with aphasia and is retiring from acting, his wife shared a message for family, friends and fans thanking them for sharing support as they rally around her.
“Your love, support, compassion, prayers really help,” Emma, 43, wrote in a post on herInstagram StoryThursday evening. “I’m grateful.”
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart,” concluded the model, who shares daughtersMabel, 9, andEvelyn, 7, with Bruce.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Emma Heming Willis Instagram
TheDie Hardstar’s family shared the news of his aphasia diagnosis on Instagram Wednesday, writingalongside a photo of the actoron their Instagram feeds, “To Bruce’s amazing supporters, as a family we wanted to share that our beloved Bruce has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities.”
“As a result of this and with much considerationBruce is stepping away from the careerthat has meant so much to him,” the caption added.
Want to get the biggest stories fromPEOPLEevery weekday?Subscribe to our new podcast, PEOPLE Every Day, to get the essential celebrity, entertainment and human interest news stories Monday through Friday.
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
They went on to say that it “is a really challenging time” for them all, “and we are so appreciative of your continued love, compassion and support.”
“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. As Bruce always says, ‘Live it up’ and together we plan to do just that,” they concluded, signing the note from Emma, Mabel and Evelyn, plus Bruce’s ex-wifeDemi Mooreand their daughters Rumer Willis,Scout WillisandTallulah Willis.
According toMayo Clinic, aphasia “is a condition that robs you of the ability to communicate. It can affect your ability to speak, write and understand language, both verbal and written.”
The group adds that the condition “typically occurs suddenly after a stroke or a head injury. But it can also come on gradually from a slow-growing brain tumor or a disease that causes progressive, permanent damage (degenerative).”
People withaphasia experience changes in their ability to communicate, the Mayo Clinic says, and they “may speak in short or incomplete sentences, speak in sentences that don’t make sense, substitute one word for another or one sound for another, speak unrecognizable words, not understand other people’s conversation or write sentences that don’t make sense.”
Emma previously sharedanniversary and birthday tributesfor her husband days before his aphasia diagnosis was revealed.
source: people.com
