3 days ago
Bill Ritter, an anchor for WABC-TV New York’s ABC7 Eyewitness News since 1999, announced Friday during his staple 6 p.m. newscast that he has been diagnosed pinch Alzheimer’s and is stepping down from nan role.
Ritter, a San Diego autochthonal whose publicity profession started successful Los Angeles first pinch nan Los Angeles Times and later astatine NBC’s connection successful San Diego and astatine L.A. position KTTV-Fox 11, has been astatine WABC-TV since 1998.
He said coming he would depart arsenic an anchor effective instantly but proceed to screen typical projects for Eyewitness News that attraction connected Alzheimer’s and akin conditions. The news communicative connected nan station’s website carried his ain byline.
“It’s ‘early stage’ Alzheimer’s, and they opportunity nan treatments I’m getting are keeping it astatine bay. For now. But location is nary guarantee, because there’s nary cure yet for Alzheimer’s. So, unless personification finds an astonishing cure, and soon, coming will beryllium nan past newscast I anchor,” he told viewers.
Ritter had been paring backmost his duties astatine nan news position since he turned 75 past year, first stepping down from anchoring nan 11 p.m. newscast that he had fronted since 1999, and past later nan 5 p.m. news. He has anchored nan 6 p.m. newscast since 2001.
Originally, he told viewers, nan scheme was to walk much clip pinch his family, but he said on-air coming that thought “has now go moreover much important, because my life has taken a turn.”
“For decades, Bill Ritter has covered and led New Yorkers done nan stories that matter most,” said Marilu Galvez, GM of ABC7/WABC-TV New York. A defining beingness at ABC7, he has done truthful pinch exceptional insight, integrity, and, astir of each — heart, earning nan emotion and respect of viewers and colleagues alike. While he is stepping distant from regular anchoring, he will proceed to beryllium an integral portion of our ABC7 family, including sharing individual updates and providing resources to thief others impacted by Alzheimer’s amended understand nan illness and nan resources disposable to them. Bill is strong, brilliant, and resourceful, and we look guardant to his continued reporting connected Eyewitness News.”
