Hudson River hero Sully Sullenberger reveals Alzheimer's diagnosis

Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger said he has early-stage Alzheimer’s disease, making public the diagnosis he learned in August 2025. In a statement posted to his website, the 75-year-old said the first signs included occasionally forgetting names, repeating a story he had recently told and sleeping less well.

Sullenberger said he is “in the beginning of this long journey” and hopes the disclosure will help others facing the same diagnosis. He said he wants “other families living in the shadows with this disease” to feel they can step forward, adding, “We will be courageous together.” His wife, Lorrie, and their two daughters and granddaughter are standing with him as he faces the disease with hope and joy.

He became a national hero after the Jan. 15, 2009 emergency landing of US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River near Midtown Manhattan. After a bird strike knocked out both engines, Sullenberger and co-pilot Jeff Skiles ditched the jet on the river and saved all 155 people aboard, including 150 passengers and five crew members. The episode became known as the Miracle on the Hudson and later inspired Clint Eastwood’s 2016 film Sully, starring Tom Hanks.

Sullenberger retired from flying in March 2010 after three decades as a professional pilot, then spent years speaking out on aviation safety. He hopes to keep serving in that role, even as he navigates Alzheimer’s with his family by his side.

In April 2025, the Alzheimer’s Association put the number of Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease at more than 7 million for the first time. In the same survey, 79% of Americans said they would want to know if they had the disease before symptoms interfered with daily life, and 91% said they would want a simple test, such as a blood biomarker test, if one were available.

Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia and has no cure, though treatment can help manage symptoms or slow progression.