Overview
- Ritter told viewers during the June 12 Eyewitness News at 6 that after tests his doctors diagnosed him with early-stage Alzheimer’s and that the June 12 broadcast would be his last regular newscast as anchor.
- He said current treatments are “keeping it at bay” for now but acknowledged the disease is progressive and has no cure, which shaped his decision to step away from daily anchoring.
- WABC general manager Marilu Galvez and colleagues praised his decades of service and confirmed he will stay with the station to share personal updates and resources for people affected by Alzheimer’s.
- Ritter will shift to a reporting and mentorship role focused on the rising toll of Alzheimer’s, the financial strains of care on families, and stories that highlight patients’ and caregivers’ experiences.
- Ritter’s announcement underscores both his long local legacy—he joined WABC in 1998 and anchored major evening newscasts for more than two decades—and the broader public-health challenge posed by Alzheimer’s care, costs, and advocacy.