Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, the former airline pilot celebrated for safely landing US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River in 2009, is raising awareness about the subtle early signs of Alzheimer’s disease.

Sullenberger was diagnosed with the disease in August 2025. Appearing on “Good Morning America” with his wife, Lorrie, he described changes in memory and behavior that emerged several years before his formal medical evaluation.

The couple said the warning signs did not arrive suddenly or dramatically. Instead, small departures from Sullenberger’s usual routines and abilities gradually suggested that something had changed.

“A lot of what I think people see in the news are late-stage Alzheimer's symptoms. And, so, in the very beginning, they are so subtle. And my advice to someone would be, it's what's unusual for your person,” Lorrie Sullenberger said.

Her message focused on recognizing changes from an individual’s normal baseline. Rather than waiting for pronounced memory loss, severe disorientation or difficulty handling basic routines, relatives may need to pay attention to smaller and more personal shifts.

Sullenberger recalled increasing difficulty remembering familiar names. “One of the first things I noticed was that it was harder and harder to remember people’s names, even people we knew,” he said.

“That’s still an issue. Just forgetting things that I normally wouldn’t. Or repeating myself, not realizing that I just said that an hour ago,” Sullenberger added.

Early indicators of Alzheimer’s can appear as mild cognitive impairment or subtle changes specific to the individual, according to health resources such as the Cleveland Clinic. Those signs can be difficult to separate from changes commonly associated with aging.

Possible indicators include misplacing everyday objects, struggling mildly to find the right words in conversation and taking longer to finish familiar tasks. Subtle changes in mood or executive function can also emerge.

Because these shifts can resemble ordinary aging, loved ones may be the first to notice behavior that seems unusual. Lorrie Sullenberger encouraged families to trust their instincts when something feels different.

Sullenberger approached the diagnosis with the resolve that has long shaped his public image. “I’ve gone through harder things than this before,” he said during the interview.

The former pilot became internationally known following the January 2009 emergency landing that became known as the “Miracle on the Hudson.” US Airways Flight 1549 suffered a dual engine failure following a bird strike shortly after departing New York’s LaGuardia Airport.

Drawing on decades of flight experience, Sullenberger glided the Airbus A320 onto the frigid Hudson River. All 155 passengers and crew survived, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.

His latest mission centers on encouraging people to acknowledge possible cognitive changes and seek an evaluation promptly. Sullenberger and his wife said an early diagnosis can affect the course of a patient’s journey by giving individuals and families more time to consider their options.

Although there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, early detection can allow people to explore emerging treatments, participate in clinical trials, consider lifestyle modifications and make plans for the future. The Sullenbergers warned against waiting until symptoms become unmistakable.

“An early diagnosis is so critically important,” Sullenberger said. “If you have doubts, get tested. Because the sooner you act, the more options there are, the better the outcome is likely to be.”

The couple’s experience highlights how Alzheimer’s warning signs may be quiet, gradual and deeply individual. Their advice is to focus not merely on familiar lists of symptoms, but on changes that are truly unusual for the person involved.