'Miracle on the Hudson' hero Captain 'Sully' Sullenberger reveals Alzheimer's diagnosis

One of nan nation’s astir celebrated aviators and awesome heroes has announced a heartbreaking diagnosis.

Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger III, nan aviator who saved 155 group aft making an emergency landing successful New York’s Hudson River successful what became known arsenic "The Miracle connected nan Hudson," shared successful a nationalist connection that he was precocious diagnosed pinch Alzheimer’s disease.

"It is early stage," he revealed. "For now, this intends a sanction whitethorn not travel easy to me, I hide a communicative I person precocious told, aliases I don’t slumber arsenic well, but I americium successful nan opening of this agelong journey."

KATIE COURIC COULDN'T REMEMBER THE YEAR OR THE PRESIDENT DURING FRIGHTENING BRAIN EPISODE

Sullenberger, 75, shared pinch People mag that he’s had problem recalling specifications wrong nan past year, contempt having a photographic memory. He received his charismatic test successful August 2025.

U.S. Airways Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger III prepares to attest earlier nan House Judiciary Committee's Commercial and Administrative Law Subcommittee connected Capitol Hill successful December 2009. He was precocious diagnosed pinch Alzheimer's disease. (Chip Somodevilla/Reuters)

The aviator became a celebrity erstwhile he carried retired nan emergency landing of US Airways Flight 1549 connected Jan. 15, 2009, aft colliding pinch a flock of geese that resulted successful motor failure. Everyone onboard survived.

Alzheimer's, nan astir communal type of dementia, impacts much than 7 cardinal group successful nan U.S. over nan property of 65, according to nan Alzheimer’s Association.

"It is nan unwanted visitant astatine nan door."

"My doctor, Dr. Gil Rabinovici pinch UCSF Medical Center, has opened my eyes to nan prevalence of Alzheimer’s," Sullenberger said successful his statement. "This disease, he has told me, spares nary property group and impacts millions of group astir nan world. It is nan unwanted visitant astatine nan door."

Sullenberger’s wife, Lorrie, shared pinch People that nan test has not dimmed his beardown demeanor.

Capt. Chesley 'Sully' Sullenberger is pictured pinch woman Lorrie Sullenberger successful 2018. She said nan test has not dimmed his beardown demeanor. (Dave Kotinsky/FilmMagic)

"Just arsenic he was nan aforesaid dependable personification earlier and aft Flight 1549, he is nan aforesaid dependable personification now, earlier and aft this diagnosis," she said. "That spot and steadiness is guiding america as a family."

"We’re supporting him connected this travel that we now locomotion pinch truthful galore different families. Though nan early is uncertain, we proceed to unrecorded our lives, person dream and find joyousness successful nan everyday."

THE BEST TIME TO TALK TO YOUR PARENTS ABOUT SENIOR CARE — BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE

Flight 1549 first serviceman Capt. Jeff Skiles besides commented connected nan news of his friend’s diagnosis.

"Sully is larger than life, moreover to me," Skiles told People. "He’s personification I’ve ever looked up to, and I deliberation a batch of different group do, too. Hopefully, it’s going to advancement slow and he’s going to beryllium capable to create nan benignant of life going guardant that he would beryllium proud of."

Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger attends nan "Sully" New York premiere astatine Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, successful New York City connected Sept. 6, 2016. (Jim Spellman/WireImage)

Fox News elder aesculapian expert Dr. Marc Siegel noted that Sullenberger had been diagnosed pinch post-traumatic accent upset (PTSD) aft nan Miracle connected nan Hudson, which could person accrued his risk.

"Age 75 is comparatively late-onset," he told Fox News Digital. "PTSD doubles nan consequence of processing Alzheimer's because of changing encephalon chemistry and building and sleep disruption."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Sullenberger reflected connected really he has been a staunch advocator for recreation safety, often addressing roadblocks successful nan aviation industry, fighting for accrued aviator training and care.

Now, Capt. Sully, a erstwhile U.S. Air Force combatant pilot, plans to proceed serving nan nationalist by focusing connected raising Alzheimer’s awareness.

Alzheimer’s is simply a progressive disease, meaning nan symptoms gradually worsen complete time. (iStock)

"This caller shape of my life has challenged what it intends to beryllium of service," he said. "And nan reply is to speak up. It is my dream that by sharing this, different families surviving successful nan shadows pinch this illness will consciousness they, too, tin measurement forward."

"So galore group told america aft Flight 1549, that nan result gave them hope," he went on. "Lorrie, my unthinkable partner of 37 years, says we tin each usage a small of that dream correct now."

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

Though nan soon-to-be National Aviation Hall of Fame inductee’s representation of nan past whitethorn beryllium impacted, Sullenberger said his test "will not forestall maine from looking guardant to and appreciating our future. I will navigate this section pinch my awesome family by my side."

Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger III testifies earlier nan House Judiciary Committee’s Commercial and Administrative Law Subcommittee connected Capitol Hill successful Washington, D.C. He represented nan U.S. Airline Pilots Association and said astir hose bankruptcy and worker vulnerability. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

"Over nan years, erstwhile group would inquire astir nan successful result of Flight 1549, I would opportunity that ‘courage tin beryllium contagious,’ and connected that time it helped everyone set together to get everyone disconnected that airplane successfully," he said.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

"Now we request that courageousness to conflict this disease. I americium now portion of a larger organization pinch galore of you, and we will beryllium courageous together."

What to cognize astir Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s illness is simply a type of dementia affecting memory, reasoning and behavior, arsenic described by nan Alzheimer’s Association. It accounts for 60% to 80% of each dementia cases.

It is simply a progressive disease, meaning nan symptoms gradually worsen complete time. The representation nonaccomplishment is usually mild successful early stages, but late-stage Alzheimer’s tin see nonaccomplishment of expertise to transportation a speech and respond to biology factors.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES

While location is nary cure for Alzheimer’s, location are treatments that tin thief slow symptoms. Newer, much effective therapies are connected nan horizon, experts say.

Certain manner changes, including intelligence and beingness activity, person been shown to thief forestall nan disease.

Dr. Daniel Amen, a psychiatrist, encephalon imaging expert and laminitis of Amen Clinics successful California, antecedently said pinch Fox News Digital astir Alzheimer’s consequence and management.

"Alzheimer's starts successful your encephalon decades earlier you person immoderate symptoms," he said. "So, a 59-year-old female I diagnosed pinch Alzheimer's disease apt had antagonistic changes successful her encephalon successful her 20s."

"It's really ne'er excessively early to deliberation astir protecting your encephalon and your mind."

"I will navigate this section pinch my awesome family by my side."

Amen listed 11 awesome protective factors that tin thief ward disconnected Alzheimer’s. These see promoting humor flow, reducing inflammation, and avoiding toxins for illustration intoxicant and drugs. Improving intelligence health, boosting immunity, getting capable slumber and keeping fare and weight successful cheque tin besides thief trim risk.

The expert besides recommends staying informed of hereditary diseases, maintaining a patient hormonal equilibrium and keeping nan encephalon progressive successful retirement.