Such a sad affliction.

“Miracle on the Hudson pilot Captain Chesley 'Sully' Sullenberger has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. 

The 75-year-old announced on Tuesday that he has an early stage of the disease, which slowly destroys memory and cognitive functioning. 

Sullenberger revealed how he and his wife of 37 years, Lorrie, are remaining positive despite the diagnosis.

'Lorrie and I often said we won the baby lottery with our two daughters. And we have learned what people say is actually true: that grandchildren are a game changer. Our granddaughter gives a whole new meaning to life,' he said. 

'With that said, I recently found out I have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. It is early stage. 

'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 said that although his memory will be impacted by the disease, his 'diagnosis will not prevent me from looking forward to and appreciating our future.'

Sullenberger was hailed a hero after he famously landed a damaged plane on the Hudson river in New York City in 2009 following a bird strike. …”

https://mol.im/a/15977221

Sad news.

Sad to hear. He saved a lot of lives on that fateful day. But it should be a reminder to us all that our time here is just a stop over and short. Something will get us all eventually. Live each day accordingly.

One of my close friends lived in the same East Bay cul de sac as Sullenberger, said he was a super-solid guy. Sad to hear of such news for an accomplished life.

The Wikipedia article about the event.

“US Airways Flight 1549 was a regularly scheduled US Airways domestic flight from New York City's LaGuardia Airport to Charlotte and Seattle, in the United States, that ditched onto the Hudson River shortly after takeoff on January 15, 2009, due to a double engine failure caused by a bird strike. The Airbus A320 operating the flight, registered N106US, struck a flock of Canada geese shortly after takeoff from LaGuardia, resulting in a dual engine failure.

Given their position in relation to the available airports and their low altitude, pilots Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger and Jeffrey Skiles decided to glide the aircraft into a water landing on the Hudson River near Midtown Manhattan, doing so without significant damage to the aircraft. All 155 people on board survived and were rescued by nearby boats, although 100 people were injured, 5 seriously. The time from the bird strike to the ditching was less than four minutes.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Airways_Flight_1549