Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, the pilot celebrated for saving 155 lives in the 2009 “Miracle on the Hudson,” has announced that he has been diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease.

The 75-year-old aviation hero shared the news in a public statement, saying he received the diagnosis in August 2025. Speaking with People magazine, he described experiencing memory lapses over the past year despite having a photographic memory.

“It is early stage,” Sullenberger said. “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 became a global symbol of courage after skillfully landing US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River after a bird strike crippled both engines. Every passenger survived, and his calm leadership earned him national admiration.

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He now faces this new challenge with the same quiet determination that defined his career. “This new phase of my life has challenged what it means to be of service,” he said. “And the answer is to speak up.”

Sullenberger explained that his doctor, Dr. Gil Rabinovici of UCSF Medical Center, helped him understand how widespread Alzheimer’s is. “This disease,” he said, “spares no age group and impacts millions of people around the world. It is the unwanted visitor at the door.”

His wife, Lorrie Sullenberger, emphasized that his strength remains intact. “Just as he was the same steady person before and after Flight 1549, he is the same steady person now, before and after this diagnosis,” she told People. “That strength and steadiness is guiding us as a family.”

Together, the couple is using the experience to inspire hope. “Though the future is uncertain, we continue to live our lives, have hope and find joy in the everyday,” Lorrie said.

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Jeff Skiles, the first officer from Flight 1549, also expressed admiration for his friend. “Sully is larger than life, even to me,” Skiles said. “Hopefully, it’s going to progress slowly and he’s going to be able to create the kind of life going forward that he would be proud of.”

Medical experts have noted that Sullenberger’s previous post-traumatic stress disorder diagnosis could have contributed to his risk. Fox News medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel said that PTSD is known to double the risk of Alzheimer’s through changes in brain chemistry, structure, and sleep patterns.

Despite the diagnosis, Sullenberger plans to turn his focus toward raising awareness about Alzheimer’s disease. He said he hopes his openness will encourage others to do the same, remarking, “It is my hope that by sharing this, other families living in the shadows with this disease will feel they, too, can step forward.”

Remembering the unity and courage that helped save Flight 1549’s passengers, Sullenberger said that same spirit is needed now. “Over the years, when people would ask about the successful outcome of Flight 1549, I would say that ‘courage can be contagious,’” he explained. “Now we need that courage to battle this disease.”

Reflecting on his marriage of 37 years, Sullenberger said his greatest support comes from his family. “Though my memory of the past may be impacted,” he said, “it will not prevent me from looking forward to and appreciating our future. I will navigate this chapter with my wonderful family by my side.”

As a lifelong advocate for safety and public service, Sullenberger is once again leading by example — confronting a devastating diagnosis with clarity, purpose, and the same courage that once turned potential tragedy into a symbol of hope.