“Unless someone finds an amazing cure and really soon, tonight will be the last newscast I anchor,” he said.

ABC New York’s Bill Ritter reveals Alzheimer’s diagnosis on air, steps down from anchoring: ‘My life has taken a turn’

"Unless someone finds an amazing cure and really soon, tonight will be the last newscast I anchor," he said.

By Wesley Stenzel

Wesley Stenzel

Wesley Stenzel is a news writer at **. He began writing for EW in 2022.

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June 13, 2026 6:06 p.m. ET

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Bill Ritter. Credit:

Eyewitness News ABC7NY/Youtube

- Bill Ritter announced that he was stepping down as an anchor on New York's ABC7 on Friday.

- The longtime *Eyewitness News* journalist revealed that he has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's.

- Ritter will continue to work at *Eyewitness News* in a reduced capacity.

Bill Ritter shared a major update with his viewers during Friday's broadcast of *Eyewitness News* on ABC7 in New York.

The longtime anchor announced that his time anchoring for the network had come to an end, as his doctors recently diagnosed him with Alzheimer's disease.

"I'd like to share a very personal message with you," he began as he explained that he had already previously moved from the 11 p.m. news slot to the 5 p.m. news, and then to the 6 p.m. news, in order to spend time with his family.

"But spending more time with my family has now become even more important, because my life has taken a turn," he said. "After a series of tests, my doctors have told me I have Alzheimer's. This is called early stage Alzheimer's, and they say the treatments I'm getting are keeping it at bay, at least for now. But there is no guarantee here, because there's no cure yet for Alzheimer's."

He added, "So, unless someone finds an amazing cure and really soon, tonight will be the last newscast I anchor. It's not easy for me to say all that to you, our viewers, and the people I work with."

After several heartfelt shoutouts to his colleagues at the station, Ritter discussed his condition's impact on his family. "My kids say, 'Dad, you're being so brave with all this,'" he shared. "But no, it's not me who's brave — it's they who are brave, as is my wife, Kathleen."

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The newscaster said that although he won't anchor the 6 p.m. news anymore, he won't completely disappear from the station. "I'm going to continue working right here at ABC7," he said. "I will continue helping the younger journalists here at *Eyewitness News*. Hey, I'm now 76 years old, so for me, everyone in the newsroom is a lot younger than I am. I'm also going to remain a journalist here at *Eyewitness News*, and so you will still see me on air and online."

Ritter said that ABC7 "wants to dig deeper into the rising tide of Alzheimer's and other similar diseases," noting that the station will report on "how it's 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 all that."

Bill Ritter in 2019.

Cindy Ord/Getty

The anchor also noted that he's not the first person in his family to be diagnosed with Alzheimer's."I'm not a stranger to this disease," he said. "My dad died with it in June 1998. I have since been active in the fight to stop Alzheimer's, and I will continue doing that, along with my friend Mike Marza, who took my place, you recall, last year on *Eyewitness News* at 5 and 11."

In his emotional conclusion, Ritter 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. It has been my honor to do just that. But for now, I wish you health and peace. Let's take care of each other."

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Ritter began his broadcasting career at KTTV and KCAL in Los Angeles as well as San Diego's KNSD. He joined ABC as a co-anchor of *Good Morning America** Sunday* in 1993. He joined *Eyewitness News*' 11 p.m. slot in 1999, and added the 6 p.m. slot in 2001. He switched from 6 to 5 p.m. in 2019 before returning to 6 p.m. last year.

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