Veteran ABC New York anchor Bill Ritter revealed on Monday, June 15, 2026, that he began experiencing symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease two years before receiving his diagnosis, including forgetting people’s names and places during what would become his final months at the anchor desk.
The 76-year-old journalist appeared on “Good Morning America” on Monday to discuss the warning signs that prompted his medical evaluation and his retirement from WABC’s anchor desk, announced during his final broadcast on Friday, June 12, 2026.
Ritter said he noticed memory problems approximately two years before his diagnosis, struggling to recall names and locations without understanding the cause. He reduced his workload, leaving the 11 p.m. and 5 p.m. broadcasts to focus solely on the 6 p.m. show.
The lighter schedule gave him proper rest for the first time in a quarter century, but the symptoms persisted, prompting him to seek testing.
Ritter urged others not to ignore warning signs, saying too many people rationalize symptoms away instead of getting evaluated.
When he received his early-stage Alzheimer’s diagnosis, Ritter said his first thought was of his father, who died of the same disease in June 1998. Moments later came fear as he confronted what the diagnosis meant for his future.
Ritter said he shifted quickly into family mode, recognizing that Alzheimer’s impacts loved ones most significantly. As a husband and father, he felt compelled to face reality for their sake, which became his primary concern.
He called his family members the brave ones in the situation. Ritter is married to Kathleen Friery, and the couple has three children together. During his retirement announcement Friday, his family told him he was being brave, but Ritter insisted it was his wife and children who were demonstrating true bravery, not him.
In his emotional sign-off on Friday, Ritter explained that his diagnosis changed his priorities, making family time more critical. He told viewers his doctors diagnosed him with early-stage Alzheimer’s and that while current treatments are helping manage the condition temporarily, no cure exists yet. Without a breakthrough, Friday would mark his last time anchoring.
Ritter joined WABC in June 1998 after working in print at the Los Angeles Times and in California television before moving to ABC News. He started presenting the late evening broadcast in 1999 and took on the early evening program two years later, also handling the 5 p.m. slot for a period before reducing his schedule when symptoms emerged.
While stepping away from the anchor desk, Ritter made clear he is going to miss reporting the news. However, he will not be leaving WABC entirely. He plans to remain a journalist at Eyewitness News, and viewers will still see him on air and online. The station wants to dig deeper into the rising tide of Alzheimer’s and other similar diseases, including how it affects patients and their families, how the price of treatment and caring for patients is simply unaffordable, and how the country might begin to change that, he explained.
The cause is deeply personal for Ritter beyond his own diagnosis. He said he’s not a stranger to this disease, having lost his father to it in June 1998. He has since been active in the fight to stop Alzheimer’s and will continue that work going forward.
During his Monday morning appearance on “Good Morning America,” Ritter discussed his plans for this new chapter. After the interview, he said he was going to attend WABC’s Monday morning meeting at 9 a.m., then head to his desk for day one of his new job, which will focus on bringing people into the conversation about Alzheimer’s.
Ritter expressed gratitude to WABC for treating him with compassion, humanity and love during this difficult time. Marilu Galvez, WABC general manager, called Ritter a defining presence at the station.
In his final words as anchor Friday, Ritter told viewers he would miss delivering honest, factual reporting regardless of political implications. He called it an honor and wished viewers health and peace.