Bruce's Sad Goodbye

ROCKED BY A FRIGHTENING DIAGNOSIS, BRUCE WILLIS STEPS BACK FROM ACTING AND SURROUNDS HIMSELF WITH HIS SINGULAR FAMILY.

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“Fans and Friends alike, everyone loves Bruce.” - a friend tells Star

AS Uma Thurman, John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson came on stage for a Pulp Fiction tribute at the Academy Awards March 27, one star of the 1994 Quentin Tarantino classic was noticeably absent. A few days later it was clear why. In a March 30 Instagram post about her ex-husband Bruce Willis, who memorably played Butch Coolidge in the flick, Demi Moore revealed that he had been diagnosed with aphasia, a progessive brain disorder that affects a person's ability to understand or express speech. “As a result of this and with much consideration," Demi wrote, “Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him."

Asking for “compassion and support,” the G.I. Jane actress, who shares daughters Rumer, 33, Scout, 30, and Tallulah