Eyewitness News anchor Diana Williams announces her retirement

NEW YORK (WABC) -- Diana Williams, award-winning reporter and anchor for WABC-TV's top-rated Eyewitness News at 5:00, has announced that she is retiring after 29 years here at WABC-TV.

Diana joined the Eyewitness News Team in 1991. Before that, she worked at WNEV-TV in Boston and started her career at WBTV-TV in Charlotte, North Carolina - a career spanning 40 years in broadcasting.

"I joined Eyewitness news as a reporter and wound up on the anchor desk with the late, great Bill Buetel. I've covered stories from around the world and interviewed fascinating people. I work daily with smart and engaging people who are passionate about journalism and getting it right... and I do it alongside my dear 5 o'clock teammates, Sade and Lee," she wrote on Facebook.

Diana and her family have gone through some difficult events over the last 5 years, which she says changed her perspective on things.

"I am happy to say - Hubs, my son, and my two daughters are all in a good place now. But the journey getting to this point has changed my perspective and I've learned that above all, "time" is a precious commodity," she wrote.

Diana says she plans to do more hiking and mountain climbing as she enters this next chapter. She and her son climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in July 2008. Since then she has hiked Mt. Fuji, Mt.Rainier, Half Dome and Pikes Peak.

Diana is taking some time off in June but will remain with Eyewitness News until September.

Members of the Eyewitness News team have been sharing their celebrations on social media, which we have included below.