Captain Sully Sullenberger reveals Alzheimer's diagnosis

Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, the pilot who famously landed a commercial airplane on the Hudson River during an emergency in 2009, announced Monday that he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in August 2025.

Sullenberger said he noticed he had begun to forget things before receiving his diagnosis. In a statement, he described the early stage of the disease: "For now, this means a name may not come easily to me, I forget a story I have recently told, or I don't sleep as well, but I am in the beginning of this long journey."

The pilot said he was unaware of how widespread Alzheimer's is, particularly among people 65 and older, until his doctor provided him with statistics. According to the Alzheimer's Association, more than 7 million people aged 65 and older live with the disease, though Sullenberger noted the condition does not spare any age groups.

Sullenberger said he views the diagnosis as a new way to serve his country. "So this new phase of my life has challenged what it means to be of service. And the answer is to speak up," he said. "It is my hope that by sharing this, other families living in the shadows with this disease will feel they too can step forward."

His wife, Lorrie, said that Sullenberger remains the same steady person he was before and after Flight 1549, the emergency landing on the Hudson River that became known as the "Miracle on the Hudson." Sullenberger said the 2009 incident showed him and his family the power of hope, and that though his memory might fade, he will carry on with courage.