Ric Romero retires after 25 years at ABC7

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Ric Romero told countless stories during his 25 years at Eyewitness News.

He started as a general assignment reporter, and then became our Orange County bureau chief, then weekend anchor. He was our travel reporter and ultimately our consumer affairs reporter.

Ric was there for some of the biggest stories of the last quarter-century, including the Northridge Earthquake, the L.A. Riot and the infamous O.J. Simpson slow-speed chase.

"We hear he's on the 5 Freeway. We rush over there. We get in right behind the slow-speed chase, and I can see O.J. Simpson actually in silhouette holding a gun up to his head," Ric recalled.

He was one of the first TV reporters to report live from the Consumer Electronics Show, where he previewed the latest gadgets.

Ric has an ability that all good reporters have: He can tell any story, no matter how complicated, and present it in a way an average person can understand.

It's an ability influenced, perhaps, by what he studied in college: business and theater arts.

He's been a cameraman, produced commercials, a children's show, sold insurance, he's been an actor, a professional dancer, and was one of the first male flight attendants for Pan Am.

But the job he did longest, and loved most of all, was to report the news for ABC7.

Congratulations Ric, and happy landings!