Veteran New York anchor Bill Ritter has announced an early-stage Alzheimer’s diagnosis and is stepping away from his nightly anchor role, while staying on in a new reporting capacity to shine a light on neurological illness and its toll on families.
After more than two decades behind the desk at the station, Ritter made his announcement on air, bringing an emotional close to a long run that shaped how many New Yorkers got their evening news. At 76, he spoke plainly about the tests and treatment he’s undergoing and what it means for his future on television. The broadcast balanced personal candor with a newsroom’s steady calm, a tone viewers have come to trust from his long career. His decision to shift roles reflects both the reality of the diagnosis and a determination to keep serving the community in a different capacity.
“After a series of tests, my doctors have told me I have Alzheimer’s,” Ritter said during the broadcast, cutting through speculation with a simple, direct statement. He explained the diagnosis as early-stage and framed treatment as something currently holding symptoms at bay, but not offering any promises. The honesty landed like a bell in many households, turning a familiar face into a focal point for a disease that touches countless families. Viewers heard the facts and felt the personal reality at once.
“It’s early-stage Alzheimer’s, and they say the treatments I’m getting are keeping it at bay, for now,” he continued. Ritter did not soften the truth about the limits of current medicine, acknowledging the stark line between management and cure. “So, unless someone finds an amazing cure, and soon, tonight will be the last newscast I anchor,” he added, making the decision public and final in the most visible way. That farewell was both a professional sign-off and a personal plea for more research and urgency.
Ritter’s journalism career spans decades and markets, culminating in his move to the station where he anchored both the 11 p.m. and 6 p.m. newscasts and at times the earlier evening show as well. He joined the team in the late 1990s after a background in print and broadcast reporting, and quickly became a familiar voice in homes across the city. Those decades on camera built deep ties with colleagues and viewers, giving his announcement extra weight. The change in duties is meant to leverage that trust to inform and help others facing similar challenges.
Station leadership expressed admiration and commitment, highlighting Ritter’s empathy and integrity in covering the stories that matter. “For decades, Bill Ritter has covered and led New Yorkers through the stories that matter most,” WABC-TV General Manager Marilu Galvez said in a statement. “A defining presence at ABC7, he has done so with exceptional insight, integrity and, most of all, heart, earning the love and respect of viewers and colleagues alike,” she continued. “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’s 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,” Galvez added. The station hopes Ritter’s new role will blend reporting with advocacy, using his platform to explain medical advances, support services, and how families navigate caregiving. That approach aims to translate the intimacy viewers felt with Ritter into practical information and connections that can help real people. It’s a pivot born of necessity but shaped by purpose.
Public figures and coworkers reacted immediately, offering gratitude and solidarity. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani responded to Ritter’s announcement by wishing the veteran broadcaster and his family “strength in the days ahead.”
“For decades, Bill Ritter has been a trusted presence in New Yorkers’ homes, helping us make sense of the news that shape our city,” Mamdani wrote on X. “
“His courage in sharing his Alzheimer’s diagnosis will help countless families facing the same challenge feel less alone,” he continued. “Wishing Bill, his loved ones, and everyone affected by Alzheimer’s strength in the days ahead.”
Inside the newsroom, colleagues paid tribute to Ritter’s leadership and kindness. WABC-TV reporter Lucy Yang posted on X, “For decades, I’ve reported for his show and even filled in, anchored w him,” she posted on X. “He never gave less than 110% I salute you. I thank you. And I will pray for you.”
Lee Goldberg, the station’s chief meteorologist, echoed that sentiment and pointed to Ritter’s continuing influence. “He preaches be kind, take care of each other, & we’re all in this together,” Goldberg said on X. “Now, in addition to doing these things for himself & his loving family, he’ll build on his legendary legacy by helping millions who share his battle.” “You’re a saint, and my hero @billritter7,” he added. “Love you.”
Ritter also noted a personal connection to the disease in the broadcast, saying his father died of Alzheimer’s in 1998 after years of struggle. That detail framed his openness as part disclosure and part mission, showing why the story matters beyond a single career. As he transitions away from nightly anchoring, he plans to use his voice to inform and to partner with the community he has served for so long.
