The airline captain celebrated for safely landing a passenger jet on New York's Hudson River in 2009 has revealed he has been diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer's disease.
75-year-old Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger shared the news in a statement published on his website on Tuesday. He said he has already started treatment and remains focused on making the most of the time ahead.
"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.
Sullenberger became known around the world after successfully landing a U.S. Airways Airbus A320 on the Hudson River in January 2009. The aircraft had struck a flock of geese shortly after take-off from New York, causing both engines to fail.
His calm handling of the emergency saved all 155 passengers and crew on board. The extraordinary landing became known as the "Miracle on the Hudson" and is widely regarded as one of the greatest feats in modern aviation.
His story later reached the big screen in the 2016 film Sully, directed by Clint Eastwood, with Tom Hanks portraying the veteran pilot.
Since retiring from commercial flying, Sullenberger has remained one of the aviation industry's most respected voices on safety.
In 2019, he urged U.S. lawmakers to require additional simulator training before Boeing 737 MAX aircraft returned to service following two fatal crashes.
"Our current system of aircraft design and certification has failed us," he told Congress.
The following year, lawmakers approved major reforms to the way the Federal Aviation Administration certifies new aircraft.
Sullenberger also briefly served as the U.S. ambassador to the International Civil Aviation Organization in Montreal in 2022.
During his time in the role, he spoke out against proposals to reduce pilot training requirements at regional airlines, warning that such changes could compromise aviation safety.
"I am deeply committed to aviation safety and security – to the safety and wellbeing of all who fly," he said at the time. "That commitment predated the 'Miracle on the Hudson' flight and will remain my focus" as he returned to private life.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 6.9 million Americans aged 65 and older were living with Alzheimer's disease in 2024. It is the sixth leading cause of death among people in that age group.
For many, Sullenberger will always be remembered for his composure under extraordinary pressure. Now, as he begins a different kind of challenge, he says he is taking the first steps on what he knows will be a long journey.
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