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Sully’s Alzheimer’s disclosure
Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger III, the pilot known for landing US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River in 2009, announced he has Alzheimer’s disease and said it is in an early stage.
Sullenberger wrote on his personal website that “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,” describing the start of “this long journey.”
The BBC reported that Sullenberger, 75, shared the update on Tuesday and that his diagnosis “has challenged what it means to be of service,” while CNN said his doctor, Dr. Gil Rabinovici with UCSF Medical Center, told him about the prevalence of Alzheimer’s.
CNN also said Sullenberger’s diagnosis came after he was best known for landing safely on the Hudson River after birds disabled both engines in 2009, and that he posted the update on Tuesday saying he recently found out about the diagnosis.
In the same statement, Sullenberger said, “Now we need that courage to battle this disease,” linking his public message to his earlier “courage can be contagious” framing from the Flight 1549 aftermath.
Voices, doctors, and public
Sullenberger told the BBC that “the answer is to speak up,” and he said he is “now part of a larger community with many of you, and we will be courageous together.”
CNN quoted him describing Alzheimer’s as “the unwanted visitor at the door,” and said the disease is a progressive brain disorder that leads to memory loss and other intellectual inabilities.
The Guardian reported that Sullenberger, 75, said in a statement on Tuesday, “This new phase of my life has challenged what it means to be of service. And the answer is to speak up.”
ABC7 Los Angeles said Sullenberger wrote that “It is early stage,” and it also cited the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s description of Alzheimer’s as a progressive brain disorder causing irreversible damage to nerve cells.
The Mercury News added that Sullenberger’s wife, Lorrie Sullenberger, told People that the disease has so far done little to impact his “renowned powers of unflappability and focus,” while People reported that Sullenberger’s diagnosis was received in August 2025.
What’s at stake next
Sullenberger’s disclosure ties his future plans to advocacy, with NBC News saying he hoped that sharing his diagnosis would help “other families living in the shadows with this disease” feel they “can step forward.”
“'Miracle on the Hudson' pilot Captain Sully reveals Alzheimer's diagnosis The heroic pilot who safely ditched a stricken airliner in a New York City river in 2009 has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease”
The Guardian said there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, though medical treatments can mitigate symptoms and slow progression, and it cited figures that “About 7.4 million people aged 65 or older are living with clinical Alzheimer’s dementia.”
Fox News reported that Sullenberger’s diagnosis was “It is early stage,” and it quoted him saying “This new phase of my life has challenged what it means to be of service,” as he planned to focus on raising Alzheimer’s awareness.
In the same public framing, ABC News said Sullenberger wrote that “So this new phase of my life has challenged what it means to be of service,” and it reported he hoped others would speak up as well.
Across the coverage, the stakes described in the sources center on memory and daily functioning, with ABC7 Los Angeles citing the CDC’s warning that early warning signs after age 60 may include memory loss and trouble solving problems or finishing everyday tasks.
