Jeriann Ritter

[Gonzo]

Some sad news about Jeriann Ritter. We used to have her and the rest of the WHO crew on every morning as we were getting up and going for the day, but haven't done that for a few years. Then more recently when I've caught her it was clear that something with her voice was off. She just opened up about it and it's not great news, sounds like a degenerative condition and the prognosis is that eventually she'll lose the ability to speak.

https://who13.com/hello-iowa/catching-up-with-jeriann-40/

Very sad if true. Pulling for her and hope she proves the neurologists wrong.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

Just saw her on the air this evening for the first time in a bit and it’s not good.

 

[NorthCyd]

I wonder if it's the same thing that happened to a washington correspondent named Jamie Dupree. He has a neuro degenerative disorder that caused him to lose his ability to speak.

 

[cyclonedave25]

I remember watching her a few months ago and thought her speaking/cadence was a bit off. Didn’t think anything of it, besides it being a bit off. So this, unfortunately, makes sense.

 

[cymac2408]

Her son and my grandson are a year apart and wrestle and play baseball together. Daughter just called yesterday to tell us the news. As an old guy the saying rings so true, “if you have your health, you have everything.”

 

[awd4cy]

Is it ALS by chance? She seems like a remarkable person and has a positive attitude about it.

 

[BigJCy]

Is it ALS by chance? She seems like a remarkable person and has a positive attitude about it.

God I hope not, brutal disease.

 

[Gonzo]

Is it ALS by chance? She seems like a remarkable person and has a positive attitude about it.

Didn't give any specific diagnosis just that it's going to continue to get worse and there's not much they can do.

Very sad.

 

[awd4cy]

God I hope not, brutal disease.

Agreed. I hope it’s not that. Everyday at lunch I come home and watch 13 news for the last half hour for lunch. I’m home by myself at that time and just need something to listen to in a quiet house. Always enjoy Jerianns weather coverage.

 

[Clonealways]

Agreed. I hope it’s not that. Everyday at lunch I come home and watch 13 news for the last half hour for lunch. I’m home by myself at that time and just need something to listen to in a quiet house. Always enjoy Jerianns weather coverage.

That breaks my heart. Jeriann graduated from High School a year after my son at HMS. She is a couple years older than Kooper Ebel's dad. I lost one of my 2 best childhood friends to that disease, if indeed that is the disease.

It may have also taken Alex Manske's grandfather's life a little over a year ago.

 

[Bader]

Is it ALS by chance? She seems like a remarkable person and has a positive attitude about it.

My Dad's ALS diagnosis started with going to see his doctor because his speech started sounding off. I hope like hell its a less severe degenerative thing she's dealing with.

Like Coach Heacock has been quite fond of telling everyone, "Always tell the people you love the most that you love them; there are no guarantees"

 

[Gonzo]

Agreed. I hope it’s not that. Everyday at lunch I come home and watch 13 news for the last half hour for lunch. I’m home by myself at that time and just need something to listen to in a quiet house. Always enjoy Jerianns weather coverage.

We've lived in several cities in three different states over the past 30ish years. Whenever we'd move one of the first things we'd do is get a fix on the local news affiliates and decide which one was going to be ours. When we moved to the DSM area 15 years ago we instantly had a connection with WHO-13 and its crews, Jeriann was a big reason why. Just good, authentic people who were unapologetically engaged members of the local community. Really hope she's able to beat this.

 

[burn587]

ALS has to be one of the cruelest and most terrifying diseases out there. Sorry to hear so many here have had first hand experience with it.

Hopefully that isn’t what Jeriann is dealing with, I haven’t lived in Iowa for close to 15 years but she always came across as very genuine on tv.

 

[awd4cy]

Ugh, she has ALS. She sounds so different now. So sad.

 

[Ms3r4ISU]

Ugh, she has ALS. She sounds so different now. So sad.

And bulbar ALS seems much worse, the little I know.

 

[awd4cy]

I just can’t believe it. She was doing the weather 3 weeks ago and she sounds so much different now. She has as positive attitude as you can have. That was a powerful interview.

 

[Challenger06]

And bulbar ALS seems much worse, the little I know.

Yep - much faster progressing than the limb-onset type. Just a heartbreaking interview.

 

[BigJCy]

 

[Cyclonepride]

It was tough to watch but she’s got a lot of heart and determination. Hope she’s right that it’s something else but it sure doesn’t sound like it

 

[kurimski]

Anyone looking to do some good to support the fight ALS here is a link to donate. Every dollar matters in finding a cure and helping support those who have ALS. It’s a truly awful disease.

The ALS Association: Making ALS Livable Until There's a Cure

ALS robs people of the ability to walk, talk, and eventually breathe. We need your help to find a cure.

www.als.org