TIMES SQUARE, Manhattan (WABC) — There was an incredible honor Friday for our own Bill Ritter, a mentor to us all, who has bravely shared his Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
He is using his voice to help others facing the disease and continues to tell stories about research and awareness.
“I have so many people who have come up to me and said ‘I have only told one or two people that I have Alzheimer’s’ and I said don’t, open yourself up, they’re gonna want you, they’re gonna want to hug you, and what is more beautiful than that, we need to be doing that, let’s bring people together,” Ritter said.
As the new face of the Alzheimer’s caregiving organization CaringKind, he is being recognized publicly: a billboard in Times Square.
“He’s got the biggest heart and truth to his viewers and to the community, especially here in New York City, so no better person to be a spokesperson for a very difficult journey and really to be able to help so many, even at a time of vulnerability,” said Eleonora Tornatore-Mikesh, president and CEO of CaringKind.
She spoke about the importance of Bill using his voice to help others.
“People need to see a face like Bill’s, because there’s so many people that look like him and they aren’t ready to share with the world,” Tornatore-Mikesh said.
Over the past weeks and in the months ahead, Bill and ABC7 have joined CaringKind to bring brain health into everyday conversations through on-air stories, community events, educational resources, and public awareness initiatives designed to reduce stigma, empower families, and inspire action.
The campaign’s watershed moment will happen on Saturday, Oct. 17, at CaringKind’s 38th annual Alzheimer’s Walk & Brain Health Day in Central Park, where thousands of participants will come together to walk, learn, and take meaningful steps toward a healthier future for all. Registration and fundraising information can be found HERE.
For the first time, the walk will offer free brain health pre-screenings.
“It’s a pre-screening, and that’s really important. We aren’t diagnosing, it’s pre-screening, but it’s the beginning for a conversation that you can take back to your doctor,” Tornatore-Mikesh said.
And join us next Thursday on Eyewitness News at 5:30 p.m. for a special where Bill looks at the latest research into the disease and we talk to families who are dealing with it as they help their loved ones.
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