Bill Ritter Details His First Symptoms Before Alzheimer’s Diagnosis

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Bill Ritter is sharing a candid look at his health.

Shortly after a local news anchor revealed his Alzheimer’s diagnosis and plans to retire, the 76-year-old spoke about when he first began experiencing symptoms of the disease.

He recalled noticing the first signs about two years prior, during a June 15th interview on Good Morning America. He said he began to forget names and places and wasn’t sure what was causing it.

Ritter said people generally didn’t notice he was becoming more forgetful, but his wife, Kathleen Friery, did.

“We thought, ‘okay, well maybe I’m working too hard,’” he explained. “So, I scaled back.”

The news anchor announced they would stop presenting the 11 PM and 5 PM broadcasts in 2025, and would only continue with the 6 PM show.

He explained that he was finally sleeping through the night, but his health wasn’t improving. It was then, he said, that they realized he needed to get tested, and they immediately made an appointment.

Ritter finally received a diagnosis of early-stage Alzheimer’s and announced it on the June 12th broadcast of ABC 7 News in New York.

Since then, Ritter says the support he’s received from the public and his family has been incredible. His family, especially, has been a constant source of strength – he’s a father of three.

He described Alzheimer’s as devastating for families, emphasizing the incredible strength of those caring for loved ones with the disease. While people tell him he’s being brave, he insists it’s actually his children and wife who deserve that praise, as they are the ones facing the greatest challenges.

Riter also shared insight into his decision to share the news live, on-air.

I’m a journalist, and my priority is always to be truthful with the public, which is why I pursued this story. It was something very few people were aware of, and I couldn’t discuss it with even my close friends – people I’ve known for decades – because we were trying to keep everything confidential as a group.

He explained that his managers found a solution, and they all enjoyed the process immensely.

Ritter announced he’s leaving his role as a news reporter, but he’ll still be at ABC – where he’s worked since 1998 – to guide and train the next group of journalists.

I’m really going to miss getting news from him – he always delivered it honestly, sticking to the facts no matter what. It truly was a privilege to listen to him, and I wish him all the best. He asked us to stay healthy, find peace, and look out for one another, and that’s something I’ll definitely carry forward.

For more celebrities who have shared their health challenges publicly, read on. 

In May 2026, the host of the BFFs podcast had unexpected surgery when doctors found a sizable ovarian cyst. The cyst was twisting her internal organs and leading to dangerous internal bleeding.

After her surgery, Brianna explained in a TikTok video that doctors found about half a liter of blood inside her pelvis. She also said she has five cuts on her stomach and that surgeons used a small camera inserted through her belly button to locate the source of the bleeding.

Former Total Bellas cast member Nikki Bella shared that a breast implant moved out of place after being hit in the chest by Piper Niven during a wrestling match in July 2025.

I remember when she told Bella Garcia it would all be okay. She was so determined! She actually said she’d go back to the doctor as soon as her dancing days were over – once she retired, so to speak. Her goal? To get everything fixed up so ‘the girls’ (that’s what she called them!) looked amazing because she wanted them ready for anything and definitely didn’t want them looking how they did then.

Lupita Nyong’o, known for her role in 12 Years a Slave, received a diagnosis of uterine fibroids—non-cancerous growths in or around the uterus—in 2014, the same year she won an Academy Award for her performance in the film.

She didn’t share her diagnosis until 2025, when she revealed on Instagram that she had been privately struggling with it for over ten years.

She explained that many girls are taught to accept period pain as a normal part of growing up and being female. This often leads to women silently dealing with something that impacts a large part of their lives.

 

In July 2025, the actress from Daisy Jones & The Six revealed she was hospitalized for a hernia. This happened because she’d been wearing very tight pants, which caused a gap to form in her abdominal muscles.

She messaged Suki on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “You haven’t tweeted in ages!” Then she jokingly added, “Have you ever thought maybe those super tight pants I wore six months ago gave me a hernia and I’ve just been too embarrassed to mention it?”

In April 2025, the former star of Beverly Hills, 90210 shared that he was getting better after having surgery for a near-ruptured appendix.

Brian shared in an Instagram video that he recently experienced stomach pain which led him to the emergency room. He discovered he had a perforated appendix – it hadn’t fully burst, but was very close to doing so.

He added, “I’m on the road to recovery. It’s not an easy process. This is my first major surgery.”

During a soccer game against the Seattle Reign on September 14th at Lumen Field in Seattle, a midfielder for Racing Louisville collapsed after only a few minutes of play.

According to Reuters, the U.S. Women’s National Team player was seen slowly sitting down on the field with a teammate supporting her, just before collapsing. Trainers were immediately called to assess her condition.

After receiving immediate medical attention on the field, Savannah was taken to a nearby hospital for more tests, according to a statement from the National Women’s Soccer League. They reported that she is currently in stable condition and is alert.

Adam Devine revealed that injuries from a childhood accident – he was hit by a cement truck at age 11 – continue to cause him problems now.

“It’s been awful,” Devine shared on the In Depth With Graham Bensinger podcast in 2025. “I’ve been having spasms all over my body, and doctors told me recently—within the last year—that my condition was life-threatening.”

He explained that his pain is intermittent, saying his body has a few minor imperfections and isn’t quite working as it should.

A former contestant on The Bachelor revealed he had to crawl to the hospital because of severe back pain, which got worse while traveling in an RV with a friend.

He described a strange tingling sensation that still lingered in his knees and toes as of March 2025, sharing this on his Trading Secrets podcast. To give some context, he said he’d been squatting around 295 pounds just a few weeks or a month prior, but now he couldn’t even do a squat, or even stand on one leg without falling. He compared the feeling to having a stroke.

But with the help of a back specialist and some steroids, he added, “We’re on the mend.”

Gina Kirschenheiter from The Real Housewives of Orange County revealed that her former husband, Matt Kirschenheiter, had a heart attack in March 2025, but he is now doing okay.

In March 2025, the actor from 30 Rock experienced a medical issue while attending a New York Knicks game and had to be helped out of Madison Square Garden in a wheelchair.

The comedian later posted on social media to explain that he hadn’t been feeling well due to food poisoning, but was now recovering.

In February 2025, the former Even Stevens star revealed she was accidentally shot in the face while on a clay pigeon shooting outing celebrating her husband, Brendan Rooney’s, birthday.

In an Instagram post, she explained that she was accidentally shot in the face by someone at a party. They fired a weapon unsafely, and the bullet struck her. Thankfully, @thebrendanrooney quickly helped, checked her condition, and took her to the hospital. She was hit five times, and one bullet came dangerously close to her right eye – less than an inch away.

According to the former Kim Possible star, a small piece of something became stuck behind her eye. Doctors have advised against removing it with surgery right now and will keep monitoring her vision, which is currently normal.

The actress expressed immense gratitude for surviving. She shared her deep love for her daughters, husband, family, and friends, explaining that she had a life-altering experience where she reflected on everything. She urged everyone to cherish their loved ones and hug them whenever possible, emphasizing how quickly life can change.

Amy Schumer is grateful for the internet, despite its often harsh nature, because it helped her discover a health issue. After noticing she looked “puffier,” Schumer was surprised when doctors began commenting on interviews, suggesting she might have Cushing syndrome, a condition often caused by high cortisol levels or steroid injections. This prompted her to realize she’d been receiving steroid injections after a breast reduction and C-section. She wouldn’t have known about the condition without the online comments. Thankfully, doctors determined her case of Cushing syndrome would resolve on its own, which she described as the best news she could have received.

During a game in December 2024, an AHL player was accidentally cut by another player’s skate and needed 25 stitches to close the wound. After his son made a full recovery, New Jersey Devils General Manager Tom Fitzgerald shared with ESPN how relieved they were, saying, “We feel very lucky, and I wouldn’t want any parent to go through that.”

In March 2022, Hailey Bieber experienced a frightening health scare while having breakfast with her husband, Justin Bieber. She suddenly developed stroke-like symptoms, initially struggling to respond when Justin asked if she was okay. She then realized she couldn’t speak and the right side of her face began to droop.

Although her speech and facial movement eventually returned, Hailey went to the hospital where doctors discovered she’d had a small blood clot travel to her brain, which they identified as a TIA (Transient Ischemic Attack).

Further testing at UCLA revealed Hailey had a hole in her heart, called a patent foramen ovale (PFO). Doctors determined the blood clot had passed through this hole and traveled to her brain, causing the TIA.

Hailey successfully underwent a procedure to close the PFO and is now doing well.

The same year Hailey faced a health issue, Justin also experienced one. In June 2022, he revealed he had been diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, a condition that caused temporary paralysis on one side of his face. This forced him to cancel the rest of his Justice World Tour.

In a video posted to Instagram, Justin explained the virus affected nerves in his ear and face, preventing him from blinking, smiling, or moving his nostril on one side. He also shared it had become increasingly difficult for him to eat.

Fortunately, the paralysis eventually went away. Hailey shared on Good Morning America that Justin was recovering well, calling the situation scary but assuring everyone he would be okay and was grateful he was on the mend.

Jamie Foxx recently shared details about the serious health scare he experienced in April 2023, which he had initially kept private. In his 2024 Netflix special, What Had Happened Was…, he explained that he suffered a severe headache one day and then lost consciousness. He doesn’t remember the next 20 days.

Initially, a doctor gave him a cortisone shot and sent him home, but his sister, Deidra Dixon, was worried and took him to the hospital. Doctors discovered he had a brain bleed that caused a stroke.

After surgery, it took 20 days for Jamie to wake up, and when he did, on May 4th, he was in a wheelchair and unable to walk. He then went to Chicago for extensive rehabilitation and therapy.

Jamie expressed his gratitude for the prayers he received, saying, “I needed every prayer.”

The reality TV star said she temporarily stopped breathing while running a mile during the first challenge on the NBC show.

It’s still so vivid to me, even after all this time. She shared on Fit for TV: The Reality of The Biggest Loser that she doesn’t recall much from that day, just the sound of a helicopter. She described feeling like she was floating, and then suddenly her grandpa appeared. After that… darkness. But then, unbelievably, light. And in that moment, she just knew. She knew she had passed away.

She explained that her organs were failing and she hadn’t known she had a condition called rhabdomyolysis. She described it as the body’s alarm system signaling it was about to collapse.

Emilia Clarke is known for her role in Game of Thrones, but in 2019 she revealed a harrowing health battle in an essay for The New Yorker titled “A Battle for My Life.” While at the gym, she experienced a sudden, severe headache and became violently ill. She quickly realized something was seriously wrong with her brain.

A hospital scan diagnosed her with a subarachnoid hemorrhage – a life-threatening stroke caused by bleeding around the brain – resulting from a ruptured aneurysm. Clarke underwent immediate surgery to repair it, describing the pain as unbearable. During recovery, she temporarily lost her ability to speak and often mumbled incoherently.

Though she recovered and was discharged after a month, a scan in 2013 revealed the aneurysm had grown and required another operation. This second surgery initially failed, causing a major bleed and leaving her survival uncertain. Doctors were forced to perform a more invasive procedure, accessing her brain directly through her skull.

Fortunately, Clarke is now fully recovered and says she’s “at a hundred per cent.”

Cori Broadus, Snoop Dogg’s daughter, recently shared how much she appreciates her family’s support after experiencing a stroke in January 2024. She immediately reached out to them, sending a text and photo explaining what happened, and they quickly came to be with her.

While she could have been discharged from the hospital after the stroke, Cori’s lupus and kidney issues required a longer stay. She explained to TopMob News that she was dealing with multiple health challenges at once.

Fortunately, Cori is now recovering well. She says she’s feeling great and has mostly regained her motor skills, needing only some time to rebuild those after the stroke.

Shailene Woodley struggled with significant health issues throughout her early twenties. In a September 2024 podcast interview, the actress described experiencing hearing loss, extreme fatigue – being unable to walk for even short periods without needing hours of sleep – and persistent stomach pain. She faced confusion due to conflicting diagnoses from different doctors.

Determined to find answers while respecting her holistic upbringing and interest in herbalism, Shailene sought help from both traditional medical doctors and alternative healers. This search for well-being lasted a decade.

The physical discomfort led to deeper issues, including fear of food and struggles with body image and identity. She described the experience as mentally challenging.

Fortunately, after years of addressing both her physical and mental health, Shailene is now doing much better. She happily reports that she’s fully recovered and healthy.

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2026-06-15 20:50