Bill Ritter, the longtime anchor of ABC7 Eyewitness News in New York, told viewers during Friday evening's 6 p.m. broadcast that he has been diagnosed with early stage Alzheimer's disease. He said the broadcast would be the last newscast he anchors, sharing the news in a personal message near the end of the program. The announcement came from one of the most familiar faces in the New York metropolitan area's television news.
Ritter explained that after a series of tests, his doctors told him he has the disease. He described it as early stage Alzheimer's and said the treatments he is receiving are keeping it at bay, at least for now. He was candid that there is no guarantee, because there is no cure yet for the condition, and that the path ahead is uncertain.
Now 76 years old, Ritter said his decision to step back had been building for some time. The previous year, after turning 75, he had begun to cut back, first stepping away from anchoring the 11 o'clock news and then later the 5 o'clock newscast, with Mike Marza taking over those broadcasts. His stated goal at the time was to spend more time with his family.
That family has grown and reached new milestones in recent months. Ritter said he became a grandfather a year ago through his oldest daughter, and that he will have a second grandchild later this summer through his son. He added that his youngest daughter will graduate from high school in a year, and that spending time with his family has now become even more important to him.
Despite stepping away from the anchor chair, Ritter said he is not leaving the station. He plans to continue working at ABC7, helping younger journalists and remaining a reporter on air and online. He said the station wants to dig deeper into the rising tide of Alzheimer's and other similar diseases, how they affect patients and their families, and how the cost of treatment and care has become unaffordable for many.
The disease is one Ritter knows well from his own life. He said his father died with Alzheimer's in June 1998, and that he has since been active in the effort to stop it. He has helped raise awareness over the years, including emceeing awareness events, and he said he intends to continue that work alongside his coverage at the station.
Ritter has been a fixture at Eyewitness News for decades, anchoring the 6 p.m. broadcast for many years and sitting alongside his on air partner Liz Cho for 23 of them, a pairing they noted is the longest running on air team in the station's history. In his message he thanked his colleagues, his bosses and his family, calling the people around him the brave ones. He closed by wishing viewers health and peace and urging them to take care of each other.