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To most fans, actor Gary Sinise is best known for playing Lieutenant Dan Taylor alongside Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump (1994). Sinise has had a five-decade career as an actor, writer, and director. Despite that, Gary Sinise is probably best known for his work outside of Hollywood.
To Disney World fans, Gary Sinise is known for the introduction at Mission: Space in EPCOT. But he is also known for bringing thousands of families to the Walt Disney World Resort through The Gary Sinise Foundation.
Try to get through this without crying… https://t.co/ZeEF6hqnao
— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) February 28, 2024
The “Snowball Express” allows families of fallen military veterans to go to Disney World, and all expenses are paid. Every year, the Gary Sinise Foundation takes around 2,000 people to The Most Magical Place on Earth as a small token of appreciation for their sacrifice for our country.
But yesterday, the Gary Sinise Foundation and the namesake actor suffered a devastating blow. Sinise announced that his son, McCanna Anthony “Mac” Sinise, died from Chordoma, a rare cancer of the spine. Mac Sinise was diagnosed with Chardoma in 2018, shortly after Gary Sinise’s wife, Moira, was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Mac Sinise graduated from USC with a degree in songwriting and composition. Before his diagnosis, he joined the staff at the Gary Sinise Foundation.
After he was diagnosed with the rare cancer, Mac underwent several spinal surgeries that left him paralyzed from the chest down. Despite being paralyzed, Mac was still able to play the drums.
Towards the end of his life Mac Sinise realized a dream of recording an album of his compositions with a full orchestra. Pls enjoy his beautiful "Arctic Circle" arranged and produced by Mac's pal Oliver Schnee. https://t.co/GO5TCHSKvF
— John Ondrasik (@johnondrasik) February 27, 2024
Related: Paying Tribute to the Saddest Celebrity Deaths of 2023
Before his death, Mac and other musicians created an album, “Resurrection and Revival.” Gary Sinise said Mac died the same week the album went to press. Mac and Gary also played together in the Lt Dan Band.
Gary Sinise announced Mac’s passing on the Gary Sinise Foundation Website, writing:
As parents, it is so difficult losing a child. He fought an uphill battle against a cancer that has no cure, but he never quit trying. Mac loved movies, and we always told him he reminded us of the soldier at the end of the extraordinary film 1917, running through the battlefield, bombs going off all around him, knocking him down one after the other, yet he keeps getting back up, refusing to quit and keeps running forward.
For the last five years, Mac Sinise, the son of Gary and Moira Sinise, fought bravely against chordoma.
Throughout our time knowing Mac and his family, they’ve inspired us with their courage, perseverance, and deep care for each other. (1/5) pic.twitter.com/FSvdKYylA5
— Chordoma Foundation (@ChordomaFDN) February 28, 2024
In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that you donate to the Chordoma Foundation or the Gary Sinise Foundation.
It is always a great sadness when a parent loses a child.We are so programmed to protect and to try everything to make it better for our kids we feel a great sense of failure along with the void making the heartache that much harder.I pray for the Sinise family that they find some sense of peace and calm knowing their son is restored to perfect health in the house of the highest and that all of us will begin again.My prayers are for the Sinise family today.