Bruce Willis's wife Emma is 'grateful' for outpouring of support after aphasia announcement

Bruce Willis's wife is appreciative of the well wishes following the actor's health-related retirement announcement.

"Your love, support, compassion [and] prayers really help," Emma Heming Willis wrote on Instagram a day after it was announced the Die Hard actor, 67, has aphasia, a cognitive disorder that affects a person’s ability to speak and understand others. "I'm grateful."

Emma, a model who married the Die Hard star in 2009, ended by saying, "Thank you from the bottom of my heart."

It was announced Wednesday that Bruce, TV-star turned blockbuster draw, has aphasia, a brain injury that is often caused by a stroke. The statement came from Emma, Bruce's ex-wife Demi Moore and their combined five children with Bruce (Rumer, Scout, Tallulah, Mabel and Evelyn).

Later that day, the Los Angeles Times published a report that had been in the works, in which nearly two dozen people who had been on set with Bruce in recent years (for mostly straight to VOD movies), expressed concern about his well-being. Among the claims was that Willis unexpectedly fired a gun loaded with a blank on the wrong cue, which the producer and armorer denied. And multiple set sources claimed he often seemed confused, once asking, "Why am I here?"

Since the family went public with the news, the blended modern family has received an outpouring of well-wishes. Scout thanked everyone on Thursday, sharing a photo of her snuggling with her "daddio."

"Yesterday was so surreal, sharing something so personal," she wrote on social media. 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. 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. I am so grateful for your love, I'm so grateful to hear about what my papa means to you."

Rumer has been responding to the many comments from her famous friends on her post.

The family said in its statement, "This is a really challenging time for our family 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."