A day after Bruce Willis’ family confirmed his battle with aphasia, affecting his cognitive abilities, former co-star Haley Joel Osment shared a sweet tribute.
Haley Joel Osment posted a heartrending message for his former co-star Bruce Willis after his family confirmed his secret battle with aphasia. Haley, 33, and Bruce, now 67, iconically shared the screen in supernatural film The Sixth Sense — Osment’s breakout role when he was just 11-years-old. Osment fondly remembered their time working on the 1999 M. Night Shyamalan classic with a post of his own on March 31.
Haley Joel Osment posted a sweet message for his ‘Sixth Sense’ co-star Bruce Willis. (Instagram/Haley Joel Osment)“It’s been difficult to find the right words for someone I’ve always looked up to—first on the big screen, and then by some wild stroke of luck, in person,” Haley began, captioning a black-and-white headshot of the Die Hard star. “He’s a true legend who has enriched all of our lives with a singular career that spans nearly half a century,” he penned, referencing Bruce’s decades-long career. Over a 30+ year window, the New Jersey native starred in a slew of memorable films that also include greats like Pulp Fiction and The Kid.
“I am so grateful for what I got to witness firsthand, and for the enormous body of work he built for us to enjoy for years and years to come,” Haley added. “I just wanted to express the respect and deep admiration I have for Bruce and his family as they move forward with the courage and high spirits that have always defined them,” he signed off for his 90,000 followers.
Bruce Willis and Haley Joel Osment are seen together in ‘The Sixth Sense.’ (Ron Phillips/Hollywood/Kobal/Shutterstock))Aphasia affects cognitive abilities and is described as “a condition that robs you of the ability to communicate, including speaking, writing and understand language, both verbal and written,” per the Mayo Clinic online. News of Bruce’s health was made in a joint statement by his family, including daughters Rumer, 33, Scout, 30, and Tallulah, 28, ex-wife Demi Moore, and Bruce’s current wife Emma Heming, and their two daughters, Mabel Ray, 9, and Evelyn Penn, 7.
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,” the message began, shared to each of their Instagram accounts. “As a result of this and with much consideration, Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him,” they said.
