Bill Ritter, a long-time television news anchor in New York City, is stepping away from the chair after being afflicted with early-stage Alzheimer’s.
The announcement was made by Ritter on WABC-TV (Channel 7) Friday evening, during which he confirmed his intention to stay at the station, but in a different capacity.
Ritter will depart the anchor desk and instead focused on health reporting, to include regular updates on his Alzheimer’s progression, he said on Friday.
“It’s early-stage Alzheimer’s, and they say the treatments I’m getting are keeping it at bay for now,” Ritter said. “But there is no guarantee, because there’s no cure yet for Alzheimer’s. So, unless someone finds an amazing cure, and soon, tonight (Friday) will be the last newscast I anchor.”
Ritter joined WABC-TV in 1998 after serving in in-air roles at KTTV (Channel 11, Fox) and KCAL-TV (Channel 9) in Los Angeles, and at KNSD (Channel 39, NBC) in San Diego. He began anchoring the 11 p.m. “Eyewitness News” broadcast in 1999, then moved to the 6 p.m. show two years later.
“For decades, Bill Ritter has covered and led New Yorkers through the stories that matter most,” Marilu Galvez, the General Manager at WABC, said in a statement. “A defining presence at ABC7, he has done so with exceptional insight, integrity, and, most of all, heart, earning the love and respect of viewers and colleagues alike.”
Galvez continued: “While he is stepping away from daily anchoring, he will continue to be an integral part of our ABC7 family, including sharing personal updates and providing resources to help others impacted by Alzheimer’s better understand the disease and the resources available to them. Bill is strong, brilliant, and resourceful, and we look forward to his continued reporting on Eyewitness News.”
Ritter’s message to viewers is below:
WABC is one of eight local ABC television stations owned by the Walt Disney Company.
