Hero pilot Capt. Sully Sullenberger shares heartbreaking health update
Captain Chesley 'Sully' Sullenberger, famous for the 2009 Hudson River landing, has announced he is in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. He intends to use his platform to advocate for others living with the condition.
Why it matters
The public disclosure by a high-profile figure helps destigmatize neurodegenerative diseases and encourages early diagnosis and support.
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Add The New York Post on Google Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger , the “Hero of the Hudson” who safely landed a US Airways flight in the Hudson River to save 155 passengers in 2009, has been diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer’s.
“I recently found out I have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease . It is early stage,” Sullenberger, 75, said in a statement.
“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 added.
The retired US Airways pilot was diagnosed by his doctor, Gil Rabinovici at California’s UCSF Medical Center.
Now, he and his family hope that by revealing his condition publicly, it gives others strength to face it themselves.
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