"Your love, support, compassion, prayers really help."
Bruce Willis' family are sharing their gratitude for the public response to their announcement that the actor would be stepping back from his career following a diagnosis of aphasia.
Bruce's wife Emma Hemming Willis and his daughter Scout, who he shares with Demi Moore, wrote heartfelt messages thanking Bruce's fans and peers for the love and well-wishes sent the entire family's way since they made the announcement on Wednesday.
In an Instagram post on Thursday night, Scout wrote: "Yesterday was so surreal, 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."
The singer went on to share how lovely it has been to hear what the 67-year-old and his work means to so many around the world.
"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 brings tears as I write this," she continued alongside a picture of herself and her dad. "I am so grateful for your love, I’m so grateful to hear about what my papa means to you.
"Thank you so much to everyone who reached out to me yesterday, I love and I appreciate you with all my heart, it’s gonna take me a while to respond to your messages!"
Emma, who is mum to Bruce's youngest two daughters, took to her Instagram Stories. "Your love, support, compassion, prayers really help," she wrote. "I'm grateful. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."
The family shared news of his diagnosis in a collective statement posted to each of their Instagram accounts on Wednesday.
"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," they wrote, adding that while this is a "challenging time" they are "moving through this as a strong family unit".
The statement was signed by Emma and the daughters she shares with Bruce – Mabel, 10, and Evelyn, 7 – as well as Bruce's ex-wife Demi and their daughters Rumer, 33, Scout, 30, and Tallulah, 28.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cbu-CyELWio/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Emma and Bruce married in 2009, welcoming Mabel in 2012 and Evelyn in 2014.
Bruce and Demi wed in 1987 and divorced in 2000, but have notoriously remained close friends since their split.
