Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger said Tuesday that he has been diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer's disease, describing changes that already affect memory and sleep. The retired pilot said he is in the beginning of a long journey and hopes others with the disease will speak up too.
"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," he wrote in a social media post. He added that "courage can be contagious" and said, "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."
Hudson River landing in 2009
Sullenberger became a national hero after saving 155 people on board US Airways Flight 1549 on Jan. 15, 2009. Both engines began to fail after a bird strike shortly after takeoff from New York's LaGuardia Airport, and he and his crew carried out an emergency water landing in the Hudson River in less than four minutes.
All passengers and crew members were evacuated from the plane and rescued by first responders. The landing became known as the "Miracle on the Hudson," and it was portrayed in the 2016 film titled "Sully."
Alzheimer's diagnosis and public disclosure
Sullenberger later served for years as an on-air expert for CBS News and has been an advocate for aviation safety. His public disclosure places him among the more than 7 million Americans living with Alzheimer's, according to the Alzheimer's Association.
The detail that stands out most is the contrast between the man known for composure in an emergency and the disease he says is now changing his daily life. He did not give a treatment plan or describe how quickly the symptoms may progress, leaving the diagnosis itself as the point he chose to make public.
For people living with Alzheimer's, the practical question after a disclosure like this is less about headlines than about the next routine tasks that start slipping: names, recently told stories, and sleep. Sullenberger said those changes are already part of his long journey.
