Chesley Sullenberger, pilot of the 'Miracle on the Hudson,' says he has Alzheimer's

Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, the pilot of the “Miracle on the Hudson,” said he has Alzheimer’s disease. In a statement Tuesday, the retired commercial captain, 75, said the condition is in its early stage and that he is “in the beginning of a long journey.” Sullenberger became widely known after January 15, 2009, when he piloted US Airways Flight 1549 from LaGuardia to Charlotte, North Carolina, after both engines lost power following a collision with a flock of geese. He guided the Airbus A320 to a water landing in the Hudson River, and everyone aboard was safely rescued. The incident prompted major recognition, including an invitation from President Barack Obama to him and his five-person crew, and the later 2016 film “Sully” directed by Clint Eastwood. Sullenberger, who retired in 2010 and was nominated in 2021 by President Joe Biden as an ambassador to the International Civil Aviation Organization, said he is sharing his diagnosis to raise awareness and reduce stigma.