Retired pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger reveals early-stage Alzheimer’s diagnosis
Former airline captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger announced he has been diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease and expressed hope that his disclosure will encourage others facing the condition.
Retired airline captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, 75, disclosed on Tuesday that doctors have diagnosed him with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. In a statement posted on his website, he said the condition currently causes occasional difficulty recalling names, recent stories, and disrupts his sleep, but he described it as the beginning of a long journey.
"It is early stage. 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," Sullenberger said.
He said he hopes sharing his diagnosis will help other families dealing with the disease feel less isolated.
"Other families living in the shadows with this disease will feel they too can step forward," he added.
Sullenberger, famed for safely landing US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River in 2009—a maneuver that saved all 155 passengers—retired from piloting in 2010 and has since been an outspoken advocate for aviation safety.
"Over the years, when people would ask about the successful outcome of Flight 1549, I would say that ‘courage can be contagious,’ and on that day it helped everyone band together to get everyone off that airplane successfully," he wrote.
He linked that same spirit of courage to confronting his illness, urging collective support.
"Now we need that courage to battle this disease. I am now part of a larger community with many of you, and we will be courageous together," he said.
Sullenberger affirmed that while his memory may be affected, he remains focused on the future and will continue to rely on his family’s support.