Capt. Sully Sullenberger, the Hero of the Hudson who safely landed into the river to save 155 passengers in 2009, has been diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer’s.
“I recently found out I have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. It is early stage,” Sully said in a statement.
“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,” he added.
The retired US Airways pilot was diagnosed by his doctor, Gil Rabinovici at California’s UCSF Medical Center.
Now, he and his family hope that by revealing his condition publicly, it gives others strength to face it themselves.
“I have spent my life in service, in the U.S. Air Force, as a commercial airline pilot, an accident investigator, as the U.S. Ambassador to ICAO,” Sullenberger said.
“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.”
“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.”
The hero pilot said he views the diagnosis as a new way to serve his country.
“So this new phase of my life has challenged what it means to be of service. And the answer is to speak up,” he added.
“It is my hope that by sharing this, other families living in the shadows with this disease will feel they too can step forward.”
