Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, the hero pilot of the 2009 Hudson River landing, has revealed he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease last year.
In a statement, Sully said he received the diagnosis in August 2025 after noticing memory lapses.
He described it as early stage, noting that names may not come easily and he sometimes forgets recent stories.
“I am in the beginning of this long journey,” he said, adding that he was surprised by how widespread Alzheimer's is, especially among people 65 and older.
According to the Alzheimer's Association, over 7 million Americans in that age group live with the disease.
Sully's wife, Lorrie, emphasized that he remains the same steady person he has always been, both before and after the diagnosis.
On January 15, 2009, Sully famously landed US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River after a bird strike caused both engines to fail, saving all 155 people on board.
The event was later depicted in the 2016 film "Sully," directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Tom Hanks.
Sully retired from commercial flying in 2010 and will be inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in September.
He is 75 years old.
