FAREWELL

Longtime ABC News Anchor Forced to Retire Due to Alzheimers

Longtime New York City news anchor Bill Ritter revealed that his Friday night broadcast was also his last.

Bill Ritter has signed off for the last time. The 76-year-old local news anchor, who has worked for New York City’s ABC affiliate, ABC7, since 1998, told viewers on Friday that the broadcast would be his last because he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. “I am going to so miss reporting the news to all of you, with the truth and with facts, no matter where they fall,” Ritter said. “It has been my honor to do just that. But for now, I wish you health and peace, and let’s take care of each other.” Ritter lost his father to the same disease and said he would continue to report on the issue. “This station wants to dig deeper into the rising tide of Alzheimer’s, and other similar diseases—including how it’s 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 that,” he said. He is currently undergoing treatment for the debilitative brain disease, but, Ritter said, “there is no guarantee, because there’s no cure yet for Alzheimer’s.”