Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, the pilot who saved 155 lives on the Hudson River in 2009, says he now faces a fight no skill can steer him through. He has Alzheimer’s disease.
Story Snapshot
- Sullenberger revealed he was diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer’s in August 2025
- He described forgetting names, repeating stories, and sleeping poorly as early warning signs
- He is receiving a monthly infusion treatment meant to slow the disease’s progress
- He hopes going public will encourage other families to speak up instead of hiding
The Hero Pilot Shares A Private Battle
Sullenberger became a household name after landing US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River in January 2009. Every passenger and crew member survived. Tom Hanks later played him in the film “Sully.” Now, at 75, the retired pilot has stepped forward again, this time to share news that has nothing to do with split-second decisions and everything to do with a slow, unfolding diagnosis.
In a statement posted to his own website, Sullenberger wrote plainly about what he learned in August 2025. “I recently found out I have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease,” he said. He added that doctors classified it as “early stage,” a detail that matters because it shapes both his daily life now and the choices ahead for treatment.
He did not describe a dramatic collapse or a single frightening moment. Instead, he pointed to small, creeping changes. “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,” he said. Those details ring true for millions of families who watch a loved one’s memory slip in quiet increments rather than sudden drops.
Treatment, Doctors, And A Long Road Ahead
Sullenberger said he is not standing still. He is being treated with a monthly infusion designed to slow the disease’s progress, according to interviews with Good Morning America. He also credited his physician, Dr. Gil Rabinovici at UCSF Medical Center, with opening his eyes to how common Alzheimer’s really is among aging Americans.
He pushed a clear message for others: act fast. “Get tested because the sooner you act, the more options there are, the better the outcome is likely to be,” he said. For a man famous for split-second judgment at 32,000 feet, that advice carries extra weight. He is applying the same instinct that saved 155 lives to fighting for his own mind.
His wife, Lorie, and daughter, Kelly, joined him for the broadcast interview where he first spoke publicly about the diagnosis, according to Good Morning America. Having family present was not incidental. It signaled that this is a shared burden, not a solo announcement, and it gave viewers a human anchor beyond the headline.
Why He Chose To Speak Now
Sullenberger said the diagnosis will not stop him from living fully. He called it the start of “this long journey,” language that suggests he expects years of managing symptoms rather than a sudden ending. That framing matters. It tells families watching that a diagnosis is not a countdown clock but a new chapter requiring planning, support, and honesty.
He also explained why he chose to go public at all. He hopes “other families living in the shadows with this disease will feel that they, too, can step forward”. Public figures speaking candidly about Alzheimer’s has a track record of nudging more people toward testing and treatment, something Alzheimer’s researchers have documented for decades across other celebrity disclosures.
Sullenberger’s decision fits a familiar American value: facing hard truths head-on instead of hiding them out of embarrassment or fear. He built his legacy by staying calm under pressure and choosing honesty over spin. That same steadiness now defines how he is handling a diagnosis that strips away control in ways turbulence never could. His openness gives other families permission to do the same.
Alzheimer’s remains incurable, but early detection and treatment can slow its course and preserve quality of life longer. Sullenberger’s public stand adds a recognizable face to a disease that affects more than six million Americans, according to national health estimates. His story is now less about a river landing and more about how a man who once saved strangers is asking for grace, support, and awareness as he saves himself another way.
Sources:
washingtontimes.com, people.com, sfchronicle.com, foxnews.com
