Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, the pilot who safely landed US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River in 2009, has been diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer's disease, he announced recently.
"I recently found out I have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. It is early stage," Sullenberger said in a statement. He described the current effects of the diagnosis, noting that "a name may not come easily to me, I forget a story I have recently told, or I don’t sleep as well." He added that he is "in the beginning of this long journey."
Sullenberger became a national hero after successfully ditching the Airbus A320 in the Hudson River on January 15, 2009, after the aircraft struck a flock of geese shortly after takeoff from LaGuardia Airport. All 155 people aboard survived the incident, which was subsequently dubbed the "Miracle on the Hudson."