NEW YORK — Veteran television news anchor Bill Ritter signed off from the anchor desk at WABC-TV on Friday after revealing that he had been diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease, ending a run that made him one of the most recognizable local broadcasters in the United States. Ritter announced the diagnosis during his final edition of “Eyewitness News” at 6 p.m., according to WABC and ABC News.
Ritter, 76, told viewers that doctors informed him of the diagnosis following a series of medical tests. He said treatments were helping manage the condition for now but noted that there is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s disease. “After a series of tests, my doctors have told me I have Alzheimer’s,” Ritter said during the broadcast. “It’s ‘early stage’ Alzheimer’s, and they say the treatments I’m getting are keeping it at bay.”
The longtime broadcaster has anchored WABC’s 6 p.m. newscast since 2001 and previously served as anchor of the station’s 11 p.m. and 5 p.m. broadcasts. Ritter joined the New York station in 1998 after a journalism career that included work in print and television news.
In his on-air remarks, Ritter said he had already reduced his anchoring duties in recent years to spend more time with his family. He said the diagnosis made that decision more urgent. According to accounts published by ABC News and other media outlets, Ritter recently became a grandfather and cited family considerations as a factor in stepping away from daily anchoring.
Ritter also said he was familiar with the disease through personal experience, noting that his father died from Alzheimer’s disease in 1998. He pledged to remain involved in journalism and said he hoped to contribute reporting focused on Alzheimer’s disease, its impact on patients and families, and issues surrounding treatment and care.
WABC General Manager Marilu Galvez praised Ritter’s contributions to the station and described him as a defining presence in its newsroom, according to statements reported by ABC News.
Although Friday marked Ritter’s final broadcast as a news anchor, he said he intends to continue working with the station in other capacities, including reporting and mentoring younger journalists. As of Saturday, WABC said Ritter would remain affiliated with the station while focusing on health-related reporting and public awareness efforts concerning Alzheimer’s disease.
