Capt. Sully, Hero Of “The Miracle On The Hudson,” Announces Alzheimer’s Diagnosis
on Jul 14, 2026
On Jan. 15, 2009, a pilot became a national hero when he crash landed a passenger airplane in the Hudson River of New York, saving the lives of the 155 people aboard.
Capt. Chesley Sullenberger, known as “Sully,” became a household name through this “Miracle on the Hudson,” which resulted from the plane suffering dual engine failure.
His instincts were praised for making what could’ve been a tragedy a different kind of story entirely: a triumph.
Now, over 17 years after his act of bravery, Sully has announced that he has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
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Sully Opens Up About His Diagnosis
Speaking with PEOPLE on Tuesday, July 14, Sully, who is now 75 years old, said, “I recently found out I have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease.”
Expounding upon his diagnosis, he said he learned of it in August 2025 after noticing his memory wasn’t quite what it used to be — boasting that he had photographic memory during the time of the 2009 plane crash that occurred after his plane went through a flock of geese.
“It is early stage,” he said of the diagnosis. “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.”
Speaking on his legacy, Sully told PEOPLE:
“I have spent my life in service, in the U.S. Air Force, as a commercial airline pilot, an accident investigator, and as the U.S. Ambassador to [International Civil Aviation Organization]. I have advocated for the safety of the traveling public for decades. And, of course, after the landing of Flight 1549 in the Hudson River, I used the greater voice afforded to me by ‘The Miracle on the Hudson’ to further aviation safety by speaking out on the many issues facing the industry.”
He added, “I was proud to work with many colleagues, fighting for increased pilot training, more pilot rest, in favor of the two-pilot rule, on increased technology issues, and more.”
Turning to the present, in light of his Alzheimer’s diagnosis, Sully told PEOPLE, “This new phase of my life has challenged what it means to be of service, and the answer is to speak up.”
He says that through sharing about his diagnosis, it his hope that “other families living in the shadows with this disease will feel they too can step forward.”
Emphasizing “hope,” he said, “So many people told us after Flight 1549, that the outcome gave them hope. Lorrie, my incredible partner of 37 years, says we can all use a little of that hope right now.”
Opening up about the impact of the diagnosis on their lives, Lorrie said in a statement to PEOPLE:
“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. That strength and steadiness is guiding us as a family. We’re supporting him on this journey that we now walk with so many other families. Though the future is uncertain, we continue to live our lives, have hope, and find joy in the everyday.”
Discussing his diagnosis on a big picture level, Sully offered to PEOPLE, “Though it may impact my memory of the past, this diagnosis will not prevent me from looking forward to and appreciating our future. I will navigate this chapter with my wonderful family by my side.”
Channeling the courage he said led to everyone being rescued from the downed airplane in the Hudson, Sully concluded his remarks to PEOPLE by saying, “Now we need that courage to battle this disease. I am now part of a larger community with many of you, and we will be courageous together.”
Sully committed his life story to print in a 2009 memoir, Highest Duty: My Search For What Really Matters.
Notably, Clint Eastwood directed a film about the crash and following legal hearings, titled Sully (2016), which saw Tom Hanks portray Sully.
Here’s the trailer:
Watch Sully, and the crew of Flight 1549, get interviewed by David Letterman shortly after the heroic crash landing, here:
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