![\"ABC7](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/6a3056261900002639275fbb.png\")
ABC7 Bill Ritter on \u201cEyewitness News\u201d Friday.<\/p>\nA beloved anchor of New York\u2019s ABC7 made a major life announcement during Friday\u2019s broadcast of \u201cEyewitness News.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy life has taken a turn,\u201d veteran anchor Bill Ritter said, before beginning his very moving on-air statement. \u201cAfter a series of tests, my doctors have told me I have Alzheimer\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n
ABC7 Bill Ritter on \u201cEyewitness News\u201d Friday.<\/p>\n
Screenshot Eyewitness News ABC7NY via YouTube<\/p>\n
Ritter emphasized he is in the \u201cearly stage\u201d of the condition, and the treatments he\u2019s been getting, which he did not specify, are \u201ckeeping it at bay, at least for now.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut there is no guarantee here, because there\u2019s no cure yet for Alzheimer\u2019s,\u201d Ritter said. \u201cSo, unless someone finds an amazing cure and really soon, tonight will be the last newscast I anchor. It\u2019s not easy for me to say all that to you, our viewers, and the people I work with.\u201d<\/p>\n
After several heartfelt shoutouts to his colleagues at the station, Ritter discussed how his diagnosis is impacting his family.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy kids say, \u2018Dad, you\u2019re being so brave with all this,\u2019\u201d he shared. \u201cBut no, it\u2019s not me who\u2019s brave \u2014 it\u2019s they who are brave, as is my wife, Kathleen.\u201d<\/p>\n
The newscaster said that although he won\u2019t be anchoring the local news any longer, he would still be very much involved in the station. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m going to continue working right here at ABC7,\u201d he said. \u201cI will continue helping the younger journalists here at \u2018Eyewitness News.\u2019 Hey, I\u2019m now 76 years old, so for me, everyone in the newsroom is a lot younger than I am.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added that he won\u2019t disappear from viewers\u2019 screens altogether.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m also going to remain a journalist here at \u2018Eyewitness News,\u2019 and so you will still see me on air and online.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ritter also revealed that his future work at the station will be personal.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis station wants to dig deeper into the rising tide of Alzheimer\u2019s and other similar diseases,\u201d Ritter said. \u201cHow it\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ritter made it a point to add he\u2019s \u201cnot a stranger to this disease.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy dad died with it in June 1998,\u201d he said. \u201cI have since been active in the fight to stop Alzheimer\u2019s, and I will continue doing that, along with my friend Mike Marza, who took my place, you recall, last year on \u2018Eyewitness News\u2019 at 5 and 11.\u201d <\/p>\n
In his emotional conclusion, Ritter said: <\/p>\n
\u201cI 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. And let\u2019s take care of each other.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ritter began working at \u201cEyewitness News\u201d in 1998, according to his bio on the ABC7 website<\/a>. He began by anchoring weekends, and eventually became the weekday 11 p.m. anchor in 1999. In 2001, he began anchoring the 6 p.m. time slot as well. He has also worked as a correspondent for ABC News and \u201c20\/20.\u201d<\/p>\n Paula Lobo via Getty Images<\/p>\n On Monday, Ritter explained to his colleagues on \u201cGood Morning America,\u201d<\/a> that as a journalist, he felt it was only right to be transparent and honest with his viewers.<\/p>\n \u201cMy job as a journalist is to speak honestly to the public,\u201d he said<\/a>. \u201cTruth and facts is what we deal with.\u201d<\/p>\n He also shared with \u201cGMA\u201d that two years before his Alzheimer\u2019s disease diagnosis, he began to notice he was experiencing memory loss.<\/p>\n![\"Ritter](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/6a306881240000dce50e4d7d.jpeg\")
Ritter (far right) on “Good Morning America” on Monday. <\/p>\n