Bill Ritter’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis brought an emotional close to one of New York television’s most familiar careers on Friday, when the veteran ABC7 anchor revealed the news live on air and announced he would step down from the role he has held for more than two decades.

Ritter, a fixture of WABC-TV’s Eyewitness News since 1999, shared the deeply personal update during his signature 6 p.m. broadcast—the same desk from which he has guided New Yorkers through countless major stories.

A Career Spanning Coasts

A San Diego native, Ritter built a long and respected career before becoming a household name in New York. His path through journalism included:

• An early start at the Los Angeles Times
• Work at NBC’s San Diego affiliate
• A stint at L.A. station KTTV-Fox 11

He joined WABC-TV in 1998 and has remained there ever since, becoming one of the station’s most defining presences.

The Announcement

Speaking directly to viewers, Ritter explained that his condition was still in its earliest stages but that the road ahead remained uncertain. He said the treatments he’s receiving are helping to hold the disease at bay—for now—but acknowledged there are no guarantees, since no cure yet exists.

Unless an “amazing cure” arrives soon, he told his audience, Friday’s broadcast would be the last newscast he anchors. Fittingly, the story announcing his departure on the station’s website carried his own byline.

He made clear, however, that he isn’t disappearing from the airwaves entirely. While stepping down as anchor effective immediately, Ritter plans to continue covering special projects for Eyewitness News focused on Alzheimer’s and related conditions.

Winding Down Gradually

Friday’s announcement followed a gradual scaling back of his responsibilities. After turning 75 last year, Ritter began stepping away from his heavier workload—first leaving the 11 p.m. newscast he had anchored since 1999, and later the 5 p.m. broadcast. He had fronted the 6 p.m. newscast since 2001.

Originally, he said, the plan had been simply to spend more time with family. But that intention has taken on new weight. “(It) has now become even more important,” he told viewers, “because my life has taken a turn.”

An Outpouring of Respect

Ritter’s announcement drew a warm tribute from station leadership. Marilu Galvez, general manager of ABC7/WABC-TV New York, praised him as a journalist who has led New Yorkers through “the stories that matter most” with insight, integrity, and above all, heart.

Galvez emphasized that Ritter isn’t leaving the ABC7 family. He will continue sharing personal updates and helping others affected by Alzheimer’s better understand the disease and the resources available to them. Calling him “strong, brilliant, and resourceful,” she said the station looks forward to his continued reporting.

For loyal viewers who have welcomed him into their living rooms night after night for nearly three decades, Ritter’s departure marks the end of an era—but his decision to keep telling stories, this time about the very disease he now faces, ensures his voice won’t fade quietly from the screen.