NEED TO KNOW
ABC 7 New York news anchors Liz Cho and Mike Marza ran the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon in support of the Alzheimer’s Association on Sunday, Nov. 1
Their decision to support the charity was in honor of their co-worker Bill Ritter, who retired from the station earlier this year following an early-stage Alzheimer’s diagnosis
Ritter has been candid about his Alzheimer’s advocacy and diagnosis since sharing the news in June
As they completed the New York City marathon this weekend, local news anchors Liz Cho and Mike Marza had someone special cheering them on from the sidelines.
On Sunday, Nov. 1, WABC Eyewitness News anchors Cho and Marza successfully completed the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon, both in support of the Alzheimer’s Association in honor of their co-worker Bill Ritter, who announced his retirement from ABC 7 New York in June following an early-stage Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
Video footage of the race — which Marza finished with a time of 3:50:39 and Cho at 4:15:07 — showed the pair emotionally crossing the finish line before embracing Ritter.
Speaking to Ritter in a quick interview after the race, Cho said the experience of running her first marathon was “spectacular,” despite battling an injury in the weeks leading up to it.
“Every time I thought I was getting really low, I saw Kemberly, I saw Pedro, then I saw Dani. It just fueled me,” she said, referring to her fellow WABC anchors. ” I saw my mom and [my daughter] Lulu at mile eight, and it was just the most spectacular experience.”
As for Marza, whose run on Sunday marked his second-ever marathon, the chance to run was “incredible” for himself, Cho, Ritter and the Alzheimer’s Association.
“It was so courageous and brave when you announced that you were battling Alzheimer’s,” he told Ritter. “You give so much to so many people, including me. If I could give an ounce of grit that you showcase … that’s what I’m trying to do.”
Soon after announcing his retirement as an anchor, Ritter began speaking out about his journey with Alzheimer’s — as well as what he was doing to spread awareness about the disease.
Appearing on Good Morning America in June, Ritter, 76, said he first began experiencing memory issues about two years ago.
“I realize I was forgetting people’s names and places,” Ritter recalled, sharing that his wife Kathleen also noticed changes in his personality and memory. “Didn’t know why this was happening.”
After being diagnosed, the Emmy-winning journalist said his focus immediately shifted to the people closest to him.
“I quickly moved into husband/dad place,” Ritter said. “Because Alzheimer’s really affects the family most. As a dad and a husband, I said, ‘I gotta deal with this. This is my family. And that’s what I’m really worried about.’ “
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Though he retired as a full-time anchor, Ritter has continued to work as a journalist, and has since started his “Living with Alzheimer’s” series as well as advocacy work with the Alzheimer’s Association.
“I don’t wallow very well,” he joked to PEOPLE earlier this year.
“It’s just who I am,” Ritter said for a July cover story. “We all have a mantra at WABC, which is to report the fact wherever they lie, no matter what side of the table you’re on. And that sort of takes over in times like this. ‘What’s the truth?’ And now, we take it from here.”
“I feel like there’s a calling here of some sort,” he added of his advocacy work. “I want to be able to do this and play a role in this. I want to do the work on this. I want families to feel less alone.”
Sunday’s marathon also contributed to that advocacy, as Ritter told Marza after he crossed the finish line: “You’ve just done it … getting Alzheimer’s out in the public.”
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