{"id":2029,"date":"2026-06-13T05:36:51","date_gmt":"2026-06-13T05:36:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/relocationobserver.com\/?p=2029"},"modified":"2026-06-13T05:36:51","modified_gmt":"2026-06-13T05:36:51","slug":"wabc-tvs-bill-ritter-departs-eyewitness-news-anchor-job-after-being-diagnosed-with-early-stage-alzheimers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/relocationobserver.com\/?p=2029","title":{"rendered":"WABC-TV\u2019s Bill Ritter Departs \u2018Eyewitness News\u2019 Anchor Job After Being Diagnosed With Early Stage Alzheimer\u2019s"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\tLongtime WABC-TV\/ABC7 news anchor Bill Ritter is stepping down from the \u201cEyewitness News\u201d chair after being diagnosed with early stage Alzheimer\u2019s. Ritter announced on Friday\u2019s 6 p.m. newscast that it would be his last. Ritter has anchored the station\u2019s 6 p.m. \u201cEyewitness News\u201d broadcast since 2001.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\u201cAfter a series of tests, my doctors have told me I have Alzheimer\u2019s,\u201d Ritter said during Friday\u2019s newscast, according to WABC. \u201cIt\u2019s \u2018early stage\u2019 Alzheimer\u2019s, and they say the treatments I\u2019m getting are keeping it at bay. For now. But there is no guarantee, because there\u2019s no cure yet for Alzheimer\u2019s. So, unless someone finds an amazing cure, and soon, tonight will be the last newscast I anchor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tRitter will continue to work at WABC\/Eyewitness News, but focus on health issues, including \u201cthe rising tide of Alzheimer\u2019s, and other similar diseases, including how it\u2019s affecting patients and their families, how the price of treatment and the price of caring for patients is simply unaffordable and how this country might begin to change that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe anchor has been with WABC since 1998; before that he was at the Los Angeles Times, as well as L.A. stations KTTV and KCAL, and San Diego\u2019s KNSD. He then moved on to national, anchoring \u201cGood Morning America Sunday\u201d and working on \u201c20\/20.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tAt WABC, Ritter was named \u201cEyewitness News\u201d 11 p.m. co-anchor in 1999, and added 6 p.m. in 2001. (He also anchored 5 p.m. for a period of time.) He departed the 11 p.m. slot last year.<\/p>\n

\n\tIn announcing his diagnosis, Ritter noted that he has been active in the fight against the disease, having lost his father to Alzheimer\u2019s in 1998. <\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cFor decades, Bill Ritter has covered and led New Yorkers through the stories that matter most,\u201d said WABC-TV general manager Marilu Galvez. \u201cA defining presence at\u00a0ABC7, he has done so with exceptional insight,\u00a0integrity, and, most of all \u2013 heart, earning the love and respect of viewers and colleagues alike. 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\u2019s 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.\u201d <\/p>\n

\n\tHere is Ritter\u2019s full farewell statement, via WABC:<\/p>\n

\nLast year I turned 75 years old, and I thought it was time to cut back a bit. After so many years, I stopped anchoring the 11 o\u2019clock news, and then later, the 5 o\u2019clock news. My goal was to spend more time with my family. A year ago, I became a grandfather thanks to my oldest daughter, and later this summer, I\u2019ll have a second grandchild thanks to my son. In a year, my youngest daughter will graduate high school, but spending more time with my family has now become even more important, because my life has taken a turn.<\/em><\/p>\n

\nAfter a series of tests, my doctors have told me I have Alzheimer\u2019s. It\u2019s \u201cearly stage\u201d Alzheimer\u2019s, and they say the treatments I\u2019m getting are keeping it at bay. For now. But there is no guarantee, because there\u2019s no cure yet for Alzheimer\u2019s. So, unless someone finds an amazing cure, and soon, tonight (Friday) will be the last newscast I anchor.<\/em><\/p>\n

\nIt is not easy to say that, to all of you, our viewers, and to the people I work with, like the man I\u2019ve worked with for 25 and a half years, our producer, and my friend, Zahir Sachedina. I believe we are the longest-running, behind-the-scenes newscast team ever, here, and maybe anywhere \u2014 a Muslim producer, and a Jewish anchor \u2013 for 25 and a half years. It\u2019s what the melting pot of New York and the Tri-State \u2013 and I would hope the country \u2013 is all about.<\/em><\/p>\n

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\nFor 23 of these years, I anchored next to my remarkable partner and friend Liz Cho. We are the longest-running, on-air team in the history of Channel 7. And for 20 years, another Eyewitness News record, with Lee Goldberg, the best meteorologist in the country, and who is also my great friend.<\/em>\n<\/p>\n

\nAnd our oh-so-talented, as we\u2019ve seen these past few weeks, sports anchor Ryan Field, who makes me laugh every day, and who also likes to laugh at me just about every day. And sitting with me for 14 years on the 11o\u2019clock news and then later on the 5 o\u2019clock news, I sat next to the amazing Sade Baderinwa. We remain the longest-running 11 o\u2019clock team on Eyewitness News.<\/em><\/p>\n

\nI also want to say \u201cthanks\u201d to my bosses at WABC. They have treated me and my family with compassion and humanity, and love.<\/em><\/p>\n

\nAs for my family, my kids say, \u201cdad \u2013 you\u2019re being so brave in all this.\u201d But no \u2013 it\u2019s not me, it\u2019s them who are being brave. As is my wife Kathleen.<\/em><\/p>\n

\nSo, what will I do now? Well, I\u2019m going to continue working. Right here at ABC 7. I will continue helping the younger journalists here at Eyewitness News. Hey, I\u2019m now 76. So, for me, everyone in the newsroom is younger than I am.<\/em><\/p>\n

\nI\u2019m also going to remain a journalist here at Eyewitness News, and so, you will still see me on air and online. One reason? Because this station wants to dig deeper into the rising tide of Alzheimer\u2019s, and other similar diseases, including how it\u2019s affecting patients and their families, how the price of treatment and the price of caring for patients is simply unaffordable and how this country might begin to change that.<\/em><\/p>\n

\nI am not a stranger to this disease. My dad died with it in June 1998. I have since been active in the fight to stop Alzheimer\u2019s, and I will continue that, along with my friend Mike Marza, who took my place last year on Eyewitness News at 5 and 11. Mike\u2019s grandfather died from this disease, and we have emceed together many Alzheimer\u2019s awareness events to spread the word.<\/em><\/p>\n

\nI am going to so miss reporting the news to you. With the truth, and with facts, no matter where they fall. It has been my honor to do that. For now, I wish you health and peace, and let\u2019s take care of each other.<\/em><\/p>\n

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News anchor Bill Ritter is exiting his role at WABC-TV’s 6 p.m. “News Anchor Job “Eyewitness News” after being diagnosed with early stage Alzheimer’s.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2028,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[54],"tags":[1739,1740],"class_list":["post-2029","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tv","tag-bill-ritter","tag-wabc"],"yoast_head":"\nWABC-TV\u2019s Bill Ritter Departs \u2018Eyewitness News\u2019 Anchor Job After Being Diagnosed With Early Stage Alzheimer\u2019s - Relocation Observer<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/relocationobserver.com\/?p=2029\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"WABC-TV\u2019s Bill Ritter Departs \u2018Eyewitness News\u2019 Anchor Job After Being Diagnosed With Early Stage Alzheimer\u2019s - 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