In a deeply personal announcement, Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger — the pilot celebrated worldwide for safely landing US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River in 2009 — revealed that he has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
“I am in the beginning of this long journey,” the famed aviator said, adding, “It is my hope that by sharing this, other families living in the shadows with this disease will feel they too can step forward.” The disclosure from one of America’s most admired public figures brought immediate waves of support and renewed attention to Alzheimer’s awareness.
