Veteran New York City news anchor Bill Ritter announced Friday that he is stepping away from the anchor desk after being diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer's disease. The 76-year-old, who has anchored WABC-TV's 6 p.m. newscast since 2001, revealed his diagnosis during his final broadcast. 'After a series of tests, my doctors have told me I have Alzheimer's,' Ritter said. 'It's early-stage, and the treatments I'm getting are keeping it at bay, for now. But there is no guarantee, because there's no cure yet for Alzheimer's.'
Ritter, who joined WABC-TV in 1998, has had an extensive journalism career spanning print, local television, and network news. He began anchoring the station's 11 p.m. newscast in 1999 and later added the 6 p.m. broadcast in 2001. He also anchored the 5 p.m. news for several years.
Despite stepping away from anchoring, Ritter plans to remain with the station in a new role focused on reporting about Alzheimer's and related diseases. 'This station wants to dig deeper into the rising tide of Alzheimer's and other similar diseases,' he said. 'I am going to so miss reporting the news to all of you, with the truth and with facts, no matter where they fall.'
WABC general manager Marilu Galvez called Ritter a defining presence at the station. Ritter's father also passed away from Alzheimer's in 1998, making the diagnosis deeply personal for him.