Veteran ABC 7 anchor Bill Ritter has shared the personal health struggle behind his decision to step away from the anchor desk, revealing that he has been diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. Ritter discussed the diagnosis publicly shortly after announcing his retirement from WABC-TV, explaining that he first noticed troubling memory changes nearly two years ago but initially assumed stress and lack of sleep from his demanding schedule were to blame.
Speaking on “Good Morning America,” Ritter said he began forgetting names and places and could not understand why it was happening. His wife, Kathleen, also noticed changes. In response, Ritter tried to reduce pressure by scaling back his work at ABC 7, first leaving the station’s 11 p.m. broadcast and later the 5 p.m. newscast so he could focus on anchoring only the 6 p.m. edition. He said improved sleep did not solve the problem, leading him and his family to seek medical testing.
Ritter said hearing the diagnosis immediately brought back memories of his father, who died with Alzheimer’s disease in 1998. He described feeling frightened by the news and admitted the realization was difficult because it meant something was seriously wrong while he was still expected to perform his job. He said his attention quickly shifted from his own fear to concern for his wife and children, emphasizing that Alzheimer’s affects the entire family, not just the person diagnosed. Ritter praised his family for their strength and said they were the ones carrying much of the emotional burden.
He first disclosed the diagnosis during Friday’s Eyewitness News at 6, saying it would be his final night anchoring the program. In his on-air announcement, Ritter explained that doctors had confirmed he has early-stage Alzheimer’s and that treatments are helping slow the disease for now. He told viewers there is no cure and no guarantee about what comes next, making the retirement decision necessary unless medical advances emerge soon.
Ritter said he chose to be open about his condition because honesty is central to his work as a journalist. He said his role has always been to deliver facts to the public, and he felt he owed viewers the truth about why he was leaving the desk. The response, he added, has been overwhelming, with many expressions of support from the public.
Although he is stepping away from daily anchoring, Ritter is not leaving ABC 7. Instead, he will remain with the station in a new role focused on covering Alzheimer’s disease and related illnesses, with attention to the emotional and financial impact on families. He said he hopes to use his platform to raise awareness, help others facing similar diagnoses, and bring more people into the conversation about the disease.
