TV news anchorman reveals he has Alzheimer's during final night helming broadcast

Veteran New York news anchor Bill Ritter revealed Friday that he has been diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer's disease, bringing an end to his more than two-decade run behind the WABC-TV anchor desk.

Ritter, 76, who has anchored the station's 6 p.m. newscast in New York City since 2001, revealed during Friday's Eyewitness News broadcast that it would be his final night anchoring the program.

"After a series of tests, my doctors have told me I have Alzheimer's," Ritter said during the broadcast.

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"It's early-stage Alzheimer's, and they say the treatments I'm getting are keeping it at bay, for now," he continued. "But there is no guarantee, because there's no cure yet for Alzheimer's."

"So, unless someone finds an amazing cure, and soon, tonight will be the last newscast I anchor," he added.

According to ABC7, Ritter joined WABC-TV in 1998 after an extensive journalism career that included work at the Los Angeles Times, local television stations in California and positions with ABC News.

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He began anchoring the station's 11 p.m. Eyewitness News broadcast in 1999 and was added to the flagship 6 p.m. newscast in 2001. He also anchored the station's 5 p.m. broadcast for several years.

ABC7 reported that Ritter will remain with the station in a new role focused in part on reporting about Alzheimer's disease and other neurological conditions, as well as their impact on patients and families.

"For decades, Bill Ritter has covered and led New Yorkers through the stories that matter most," WABC-TV General Manager Marilu Galvez said in a statement.

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"A defining presence at ABC7, he has done so with exceptional insight, integrity and, most of all, heart, earning the love and respect of viewers and colleagues alike," she continued.

"While he is stepping away from daily anchoring, he will continue to be an integral part of our ABC7 family, including sharing personal updates and providing resources to help others impacted by Alzheimer's better understand the disease and the resources available to them."

"Bill is strong, brilliant, and resourceful, and we look forward to his continued reporting on Eyewitness News," Galvez added.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani responded to Ritter's announcement by wishing the veteran broadcaster and his family "strength in the days ahead."

"For decades, Bill Ritter has been a trusted presence in New Yorkers' homes, helping us make sense of the news that shape our city," Mamdani wrote on X. "

"His courage in sharing his Alzheimer’s diagnosis will help countless families facing the same challenge feel less alone," he continued. "Wishing Bill, his loved ones, and everyone affected by Alzheimer's strength in the days ahead."

Ritter's colleagues also reacted to his announcement.

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WABC-TV reporter Lucy Yang paid tribute to Ritter's professionalism and dedication during his decades-long career at the station.

"For decades, I’ve reported for his show and even filled in, anchored w him," she posted on X. "He never gave less than 110% I salute you. I thank you. And I will pray for you."

Lee Goldberg, the station's chief meteorologist, said Ritter's influence would continue long after he stepped away from the anchor desk.

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"He preaches be kind, take care of each other, & we're all in this together," Goldberg said on X. "Now, in addition to doing these things for himself & his loving family, he'll build on his legendary legacy by helping millions who share his battle." 

"You're a saint, and my hero @billritter7," he added. "Love you."

Ritter also noted during the broadcast that his father died of Alzheimer's disease in 1998 after battling the illness for years.

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New York anchor Bill Ritter announces Alzheimer's diagnosis during his final Eyewitness News broadcast

Veteran New York news anchor Bill Ritter revealed Friday that he has been diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer's disease, bringing an end to his more than two-decade run behind the WABC-TV anchor desk.

Ritter, 76, who has anchored the station's 6 p.m. newscast in New York City since 2001, revealed during Friday's Eyewitness News broadcast that it would be his final night anchoring the program.

"After a series of tests, my doctors have told me I have Alzheimer's," Ritter said during the broadcast.

"It's early-stage Alzheimer's, and they say the treatments I'm getting are keeping it at bay, for now," he continued. "But there is no guarantee, because there's no cure yet for Alzheimer's."

'DUCK DYNASTY' STAR PHIL ROBERTSON DIAGNOSED WITH ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

"So, unless someone finds an amazing cure, and soon, tonight will be the last newscast I anchor," he added.

According to ABC7, Ritter joined WABC-TV in 1998 after an extensive journalism career that included work at the Los Angeles Times, local television stations in California and positions with ABC News.

He began anchoring the station's 11 p.m. Eyewitness News broadcast in 1999 and was added to the flagship 6 p.m. newscast in 2001. He also anchored the station's 5 p.m. broadcast for several years.

WOMAN WITH ADVANCED ALZHEIMER'S REGAINED SPEECH AND MEMORIES AFTER TAKING MAGIC MUSHROOMS

ABC7 reported that Ritter will remain with the station in a new role focused in part on reporting about Alzheimer's disease and other neurological conditions, as well as their impact on patients and families.

"For decades, Bill Ritter has covered and led New Yorkers through the stories that matter most," WABC-TV General Manager Marilu Galvez said in a statement.

"A defining presence at ABC7, he has done so with exceptional insight, integrity and, most of all, heart, earning the love and respect of viewers and colleagues alike," she continued.

"While he is stepping away from daily anchoring, he will continue to be an integral part of our ABC7 family, including sharing personal updates and providing resources to help others impacted by Alzheimer's better understand the disease and the resources available to them."

"Bill is strong, brilliant, and resourceful, and we look forward to his continued reporting on Eyewitness News," Galvez added.

Ritter also noted during the broadcast that his father died from Alzheimer's disease in 1998 after battling the illness for years.

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→ Americans to get new sunscreen option already used abroad for decades

→ Drinking alcohol may influence cravings for certain foods in surprising way

→ Bride in full wedding gown makes two-hour hospital trip to see mother before ceremony

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Nightly glass of wine may not be as harmless as many people think, study suggests

A new study is challenging the conventional wisdom that a small, daily dose of alcohol might be good for your health.

The research, published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, suggests that the safest amount of alcohol to consume is actually none at all. If adults do choose to drink, the team of scientists recommends setting a limit of one per day.

This challenges older guidelines, which often suggested that up to two daily drinks for men was a safe limit.

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"While the new U.S. Dietary Guidelines contain a useful ‘less-is-best’ message, they provide no quantitative framework," study co-author Timothy Naimi, director of the University of Victoria’s Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, said in a press release.

"Our study was designed to do just that across the drinking spectrum."

Researchers reached their conclusions by analyzing data on alcohol-related injuries and illnesses and comparing it with large national health and demographic databases, according to a press release.

Using statistical models, they examined how regular alcohol consumption is linked to life expectancy.

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"Even low levels of alcohol use come with health risks," lead study author Kevin Shield, an associate professor at the University of Toronto, in the same press release. "And that risk continues to increase the more someone drinks."

After evaluating the cumulative risks for conditions like liver disease, stroke and certain cancers, the study suggests that the assumed benefits of drinking are heavily outweighed by the potential dangers.

For those looking to protect their long-term health, researchers emphasized that cutting back to one drink or giving up alcohol entirely appears to be the best strategy.

Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, noted that this was an observational Canadian study looking at U.S. census data.

"It is massive, but still not proof," cautioned Siegel, who was not involved in the study. "I am impressed with the endpoint, which is to assess alcohol-specific mortality," he added.

The doctor called the research "convincing" in terms of showing that even lower levels of drinking carry mortality risk.

"We are in the process of debunking previous research and public health statements that a small amount of alcohol is actually good for you, and replacing it with the more realistic and accurate notion that no amount of alcohol is good," he told Fox News Digital.

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Alcohol affects multiple systems throughout the body, acting as a toxin that can compromise vital organs over time, according to the doctor.

Siegel warned that "alcohol is bad for the heart, the liver and the brain, and it increases inflammation and certain cancers, all of which lead to increased mortality risks."

While the research offers an overview of public health trends, it is an observational study based on U.S. census data, meaning it can only show strong correlations and cannot prove direct cause and effect, the researchers acknowledged.

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Additionally, because the study relies on self-reported drinking habits, it is subject to the common limitation of individuals underestimating or misreporting their actual alcohol consumption.

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Americans to get new sunscreen option already used abroad for decades

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is amending its list of permissible sunscreen ingredients for the first time in more than 25 years.

On Tuesday, the federal health agency signed off on allowing bemotrizinol to be added to sunscreen products after it met the FDA’s standard for protecting against dangerous ultraviolet rays and causing little irritation or absorption into the skin, according to the Associated Press.

This addition gives Americans access to a skin-protecting chemical that has been historically used in Europe and other parts of the world.

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Bemotrizinol will initially be sold in the U.S. as Parsol Shield, manufactured by Dutch company DSM Nutritional Products, expected to launch later in 2026, the AP reported. The ingredient will be available for use by other manufacturers after an 18-month exclusivity period.

DSM (the sunscreen ingredient company) submitted a format request for the FDA to approve bemotrizinol as a new sunscreen ingredient in the U.S., allowing its use in over-the-counter sunscreens at concentrations up to 6%.

In a December press release announcing the proposal of this request, the FDA noted that bemotrizinol is "generally recognized" as safe and effective for adults and children 6 months and older.

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FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, MD, MPH, commented in a statement that the agency has "historically moved too slowly in this area, leaving Americans with fewer options than consumers abroad."

"We’re continuing to modernize the regulation of sunscreen and other over-the-counter drug products," he said in the release. "Americans deserve timely access to the best safe, effective and consumer-friendly over-the-counter products available."

In the same news release, Karen Murry, MD, acting director of the Office of Nonprescription Drugs in Maryland, commented that bemotrizinol "would be a welcome addition to the current array of effective sunscreen active ingredients already available to American consumers."

"We look forward to working with other companies on bringing products containing other new active ingredients to market for a wide array of conditions in multiple therapeutic areas, in a much more timely fashion than was possible in the past," she added.

The FDA continues to regulate sunscreen products to ensure that they meet safety and effectiveness standards, while encouraging the public to use numerous protective measures.

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This includes using broad-spectrum sunscreens SPF 15 or higher to help reduce the risk of skin cancer and signs of aging, along with wearing protective clothing and limiting time in the sun.

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Bride in full wedding gown makes 2-hour hospital trip to see her mother before the ceremony

Fully dressed in her elegant wedding gown just hours before her ceremony, a determined bride made a surprise visit to her hospitalized mother just hours before getting married.

The heartfelt moment came after it was clear her mother's medical condition would unfortunately prevent her from attending the big day in person, Caters News reported. 

Laetitia Obry of Gonsans, France, refused to let the difficult circumstances steal a family milestone from them.

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Her journey was filmed by her sister, Oceane, who captured the bride as she traveled for two hours to get to the hospital to be with her mom. 

Despite the tight schedule, Obry was determined to spend some precious moments with her mother before heading to her wedding.

The touching footage shows Obry entering her mother's hospital room in full bridal attire — prompting an immediate and emotional reaction from her mother, who was seated in a chair.

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The room filled with overwhelming joy as the pair embraced and shared a heartfelt, unforgettable moment together, the video shows.

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Obry said that although the journey was long and the actual visit was too brief, it was a moment she simply could not miss on one of the most important days of her life, Caters reported.  

This moving video resonated deeply online, prompting viewers to share their own similar experiences. 

One user recalled her own, similar story.

"My mother was hospitalized too," wrote the commenter. 

"She cried, pleaded and begged the doctors to let her leave for just a few hours for my wedding."

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The writer went on, "They finally agreed after she signed a medical waiver. Because of that compromise, she was able to stay until the cake cutting before returning to the hospital like Cinderella before midnight. It was magical."

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Secret to weight loss may be hiding in your gut, new study suggests

A specific gut microbe could help with long-term weight-loss goals.

New research published in the journal Nature Medicine tested whether a pasteurized (not live) gut bacterium, called Akkermansia muciniphila MucT, could help people keep weight off after losing it.

The study enrolled 90 overweight and obese adults from the Netherlands in an eight-week, low-energy diet where they were instructed to lose 8% of their body weight, according to a press release.

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The participants then started a 24-week weight-maintenance phase and were randomly assigned to take either the gut bacterium or a placebo.

People taking Akkermansia regained less weight than those taking the placebo, at an average of 2.6 pounds versus 7.1 pounds — a statistically significant difference, according to the study results.

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The researchers noted that the efficacy of the treatment depends on a person’s existing gut microbiome. There were no serious adverse events reported.

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The study’s short duration and small sample size may not be enough to prove long-term benefits, the team noted. Another limitation is that participants ate whatever they wanted instead of following a standardized diet.

Dr. Peter Balazs, MD, a hormone and weight loss specialist practicing in New York and New Jersey, called this a "well-designed" trial.

"The finding that a single gut microbe, pasteurized Akkermansia, significantly reduced weight regain is particularly compelling," the expert, who was not involved in the research, told Fox News Digital. "Most probiotics have demonstrated far less efficacy, making these results especially noteworthy."

Balazs pointed out that pasteurized Akkermansia isn’t a live probiotic, but works through "components of the bacteria, particularly a protein called Amuc_1100."

"This protein helps strengthen the gut barrier, reduce low-grade inflammation and support healthy metabolic function," he said. "After weight loss, the body naturally tries to regain fat, but Akkermansia appears to help quiet some of those biological signals, making it easier to maintain results over time."

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While the study results are promising, the doctor cautioned that Akkermansia is not a miracle pill.

"It helps with maintenance, not initial loss," he said. "Long-term use is plausible; however, it hasn't been proven beyond 24 weeks. This does not replace diet, exercise or medical advice."

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