C.B. "Sully" Sullenberger, the airline captain celebrated for landing an Airbus A320 on the Hudson River in 2009 after the aircraft struck a flock of geese, revealed on Tuesday that he has been diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. He is 75 years old and said on his website that he is receiving treatment.
In his statement, Sullenberger described the early effects 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," he wrote.
Known internationally for the so-called "Miracle on the Hudson" - the 2009 emergency landing that saved all 155 people on board - Sullenberger has been a long-standing advocate for aviation safety. The controlled water landing came after the jet encountered a flock of geese, and aviation experts have described his handling of the situation as exemplary under extreme pressure.
He has remained active in safety advocacy since that incident. In 2016, a feature film titled "Sully" portrayed the event, with Tom Hanks playing Sullenberger. In 2022, he briefly served as the U.S. ambassador to the International Civil Aviation Organization, based in Montreal. During his tenure he warned about industry moves that could weaken pilot standards, expressing concern about proposals by regional carriers to lower pilot requirements.
Reflecting on his commitment to aviation, he previously said he was "deeply committed to aviation safety and security - to the safety and wellbeing of all who fly," noting that this dedication existed before the Hudson River landing and would continue as he returned to private life.
Sullenberger has also taken an active role in public safety debates in recent years. In 2019 he testified before the U.S. Congress in favor of requiring pilots to undergo new simulator training before Boeing 737 MAX flights were allowed to resume after two fatal crashes. At that time he told lawmakers, "Our current system of aircraft design and certification has failed us." Congress followed with broad reform legislation in 2020 aimed at changing how the Federal Aviation Administration certifies new airplanes.
Health context for Alzheimer’s was provided in Sullenberger’s statement by reference to public data: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in 2024 that an estimated 6.9 million Americans age 65 and older had Alzheimer’s and that it was the sixth-leading cause of death among Americans in that age group.
Sullenberger’s announcement combines a personal health update with a record of public service and safety advocacy. He said he is in care for his condition and has described the diagnosis as the start of a long process. Beyond his own situation, the disclosure underlines continuing public health discussions about Alzheimer’s prevalence in older Americans and the demands it places on families and health systems.
As Sullenberger continues treatment, his public presence and past advocacy work are likely to remain part of how observers assess ongoing debates about pilot training, regulatory oversight, and aviation safety policy. For now, he emphasized personal adjustments related to the diagnosis while remaining on the early part of his stated journey with the illness.