EXCLUSIVE: Capt. Sully Sullenberger Opens Up About His Alzheimer's Diagnosis
Capt. Sully Sullenberger shares details of his Alzheimer's diagnosis and the challenges he faces.
Oct. 22 2026, Published 7:30 a.m. ET
Hero Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger says he's approaching his Alzheimer's disease diagnosis with the same focus that allowed him to safely land a plane carrying 155 passengers in the Hudson River in 2009, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
"We had to devise a plan, execute that plan flawlessly for the first time, never having done it before, and save every life in 208 seconds," said the 75-year-old retired pilot, who was recently inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame, one of aviation's highest honors.
"So I think we're doing the same thing here," he said of his plan to deal with his diagnosis. "We're focusing clearly on the highest priority items first."
Sullenberger Opens Up About Alzheimer's Battle and Ongoing Treatment
Capt. Chesley 'Sully' Sullenberger is undergoing monthly infusion treatments for early-stage Alzheimer's disease.
In July, Sullenberger, who had begun to experience symptoms like forgetfulness, trouble remembering people's names and repeating himself, announced he had an early stage of the memory-robbing disease.
Upon receiving the news, "we felt all those emotions, the shock, the anger, why me?" he said. "We're part of this community who are trying to make the best of a bad situation."
He is currently undergoing monthly infusion treatments, which can slow the progression of the disease, but can't cure it. "It's continuing to progress," he revealed. "It's inevitable."
Supporting him on his journey is his wife, Lorrie Sullenberger, the mother of his two children. Although they'd originally planned to keep his diagnosis private, they came to realize it was important to speak out to help others.
Sullenberger Hopes Alzheimer's Battle Will Help Others
Lorrie Sullenberger encouraged open discussions about Alzheimer's disease following her husband's diagnosis.
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"This is a disease, not a character flaw," Lorrie pointed out. "I think we need to talk about it more openly, and maybe other people can do the same."
"I felt like after the 2009 flight, that [First Officer] Jeff Skiles and I and others had made a difference," Sullenberger said.
"And I think in this regard and with this issue, maybe we can make a difference in this way also. If this has to be my last flight, I'm going to go out using full afterburner."
