Beloved ABC New York Anchor Announces Alzheimer's Diagnosis in Emotional On-Air Farewell
Beloved ABC New York anchor Bill Ritter shared an emotional final broadcast with the audience of ABC7's Eyewitness News as he made a "very personal" announcement about his health.
The 76-year-old journalist, who first joined the New York station in 1999, revealed during the 6 p.m. broadcast on Friday, June 12, that while he had already moved from the 11 p.m. time slot to spend more time with his family, that time had become "even more important" as of late.
"But spending more time with my family has now become even more important, because my life has taken a turn," Ritter said. "After a series of tests, my doctors have told me I have Alzheimer's."
He continued, "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. So, unless someone finds an amazing cure and really soon, tonight will be the last newscast I anchor."
Despite his decision to step back from broadcasting, Ritter will stay on at ABC 7 NY as the station digs "deeper into the rising tide of Alzheimer's and other similar diseases."
Ritter is no "stranger" to Alzheimer's, as his father also suffered from the disease when he died in 1998, and the ABC personality has long been "active in the fight to stop Alzheimer's."
At the end of his emotional farewell, 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."
Ritter first began his career in broadcasting at Los Angeles' KTTV and KCAL, as well as San Diego's KNSD. In 1993, he joined ABC as a Good Morning AmericaSundayco-anchor before moving to ABC 7 NY's Eyewitness News in 1999.
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This story was originally published June 15, 2026 at 5:30 AM.