Sullenberger Reveals Alzheimer's Diagnosis
Chesley 'Sully' Sullenberger, the celebrated pilot who safely landed US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River in 2009, announced on Tuesday that he has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. The 75-year-old former US Airways captain and US Air Force veteran shared the news in a statement, describing the early stages of the condition.
'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 said. 'This new phase of my life has challenged what it means to be of service. And the answer is to speak up. It is my hope that by sharing this, other families living in the shadows with this disease will feel they too can step forward.'
Alzheimer's Prevalence and Treatment
According to the Alzheimer's Association, approximately 7.4 million people aged 65 or older are living with clinical Alzheimer's dementia in the United States. About three-quarters of them are aged 75 and older. While there is no cure for the disease, medical treatments can help mitigate symptoms and slow its progression.
The Miracle on the Hudson
Sullenberger was piloting US Airways Flight 1549 from New York City's LaGuardia Airport to Charlotte, North Carolina, on 15 January 2009, with 150 passengers and five crew members on board. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft struck a flock of birds, causing a complete loss of thrust in both engines. Sullenberger determined that the plane could not safely return to LaGuardia and instead executed an emergency landing on the Hudson River. All 155 people on board survived, an event widely hailed as the 'Miracle on the Hudson.'
The incident was later depicted in the 2016 film Sully, directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Tom Hanks. In recent years, Sullenberger has worked as a corporate speaker and aviation safety expert.
A Call for Courage
'Over the years, when people would ask about the successful outcome of Flight 1549, I would say that 'courage can be contagious,' and on that day it helped everyone band together to get everyone off that airplane successfully,' Sullenberger said in his statement. '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.'
