I saw this on ABC News on Friday. It took a tremendous amount of courage to announce this to the audience and he should be congratulated on the way he handled it. The guy's been on TV in NYC for decades, and even once hosted Good Morning America on the network during the weekends. 

I wish him well. My mother had this disease and I can only hope one day, somehow, there's a decent treatment or even a cure. It's actually harder on the caregiver - of whom I was once one - than the patient. And I can speak from experience when I say it's a heartbreaker because the person suffering from it is figuratively dying, sometimes for years, right in front of your eyes and there's nothing you can do to stop it. 

So while I wish Mr. Ritter well, I wish even more for his family. They will bear the burden of this and it won't be easy. 

RadioAaron wrote:

RadioActive wrote:

I wish him well. My mother had this disease and I can only hope one day, somehow, there's a decent treatment or even a cure. It's actually harder on the caregiver - of whom I was once one - than the patient. And I can speak from experience when I say it's a heartbreaker because the person suffering from it is figurativley dying, sometimes for years, right in front of your eyes and there's nothing you can do to stop it.  

I'm sorry you had to go through that; I am now with both my parents and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. My own fear is my body outlasting my mind. 
 

Yes, I have that fear, too, because it can run in families.

They say the way to know when to worry is:

If you forget a name or an appointment time and you're getting older, that's age.
If you forget how to get home in the car on a route you've taken a thousand times, that's a warning.
And that's when you should see someone. 

Paul Jeffries wrote:

My mother is currently suffering from dementia, and watching someone you love disintegrate bit by bit is extremely hard. You take whatever moments of familiarity you get and cherish them.


PJ

I wish you well on this "journey," although I really hate that term. Just cherish your family member every day. As hard as it is, they won't be there forever. I can tell you I became my mother's primary care giver and did it for 10 years before we had no choice and had to put her in a home. It was the last thing she ever wanted but towards the end, it was too dangerous for her to live in her own place. 

I will say it was the hardest thing I've ever done. But as I look back on it now some seven years after her passing, I can honestly say it was the most rewarding and selfless thing I've ever done. And as bad as it could be, I wish I could still do it for her. 

I know this isn't about radio, but it is about life. And some things are more important. 

Thank you for your kind words and advice, RA.


PJ
 

Paul Jeffries wrote:

Bill Ritter, longtime anchor for WABC-TV, announced this past Friday that he was stepping down from his anchor desk duties after receiving a diagnosis of early stage Alzheimer's, but still plans to be a journalist for the station.

Mr. Ritter plans to cover stories about  Alzheimer's and similar diseases and how they affect patients and their families. Mr. Ritter joined the station in 1998, which sadly, was the same year he lost his father to the disease.


Beloved WABC Anchor Bill Ritter steps away from the anchor desk; reveals Alzheimer's diagnosis


PJ

 
I hate reading about Alzheimer’s, probably because it scares the hell out of me and I really feel for families that have to deal with it. Sad news about Bill Ritter, although he was still working at 76, which is rare.