SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — William "Bill" Griffith, a former T.V. anchor for ABC 10News, passed away from an unexpected medical event on Friday at 77 years old.
Bill joined KGTV in February 1976 at the age of 27 and dedicated nearly four decades at the station, wearing multiple hats in the newsroom, including weekend news anchor, sports director, talk-show host, magazine show host, consumer reporter, and morning and midday news anchor. In 1996, he began co-anchoring KGTV's morning and 11 a.m. newscasts.
During his time, Griffith covered some of the biggest stories San Diego has ever seen, which he reflected on when ABC 10News celebrated its 70th Anniversary.
“The PSA crash in the 70s. The McDonald’s massacre in the 80s. The Heavens Gate suicide in the 90s. And, of course, the wildfires in ’03 and ’04," Griffith said in September 2023.
During his time as a broadcaster, he received multiple Emmys, Golden Mike awards, and the San Diego Press Club's Drew Silvern Award after publicly chronicling his six-month battle with male breast cancer in 2004.
After his recovery, Bill dedicated his time to supporting cancer patients and organizations throughout Southern California. He worked with the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, the Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego, City of Hope and programs supporting children with cancer and leukemia.
Taking a page out of fellow ABC 10News legend Harold Greene's book, Griffith used to end every newscast with a heartfelt signature sign-off: "Be good to one another."
Through his journey with cancer, Griffith said he realized, as good as he tried to be for San Diego, San Diego was just as good to him.
“While I was going through my treatment, hundreds of you sent cards and letters and emails and voicemails of support, offering your prayers, treating me like a member of your family. It was amazing," Griffith said in that 2023 interview.
Griffith was most recently living in Yuma, Arizona.
He is survived by his sons, Adam Griffith, his wife Sara, and James Griffith, his wife Rachel, and by his grandchildren, William Griffith, Addison Griffith, Caleb Griffith, and Andrew Griffith, as well as his former spouse, Jenny Griffith, and his brother Jim Griffith and sister Debbie Griffith.
Nearly four decades at ABC 10News, a lifetime of memories for San Diegans and a timeless impact on America's Finest City. Thank you, Bill.
