Gary Sinise & His Ailing Son Who Couldn't Walk Devoted Their Life to One Thing

Even when “CSI” star Gary Sinise’s son faced a battle for his life, his focus remained on the passion he shared with his father. Until the end, McCanna Anthony “Mac” Sinise wanted to “do a little more,” despite severe limitations brought on by his illness.

Actor Gary Sinise’s journey as a humanitarian began in the early 1980s when he started supporting local Vietnam veterans groups in the Chicago area. Many years later, his son, Mac, joined the foundation Gary had founded, passionately helping others alongside his father until he lost his battle against a rare form of cancer.

Mac's Unwavering Sense of Purpose

"While we can never do enough for our defenders and their loved ones, we can always do a little more," Gary Sinise said as the founder of the Gary Sinise Foundation. A sentiment embodied by Mac until his death, as the foundation’s Director of Outreach, Bobby George wrote after his passing:

“Mac had a passion to bridge the gap between our nation's defenders and civilian communities, ensuring that Americans know the sacrifices our nation's defenders and their families make to keep us safe. Even when he could no longer physically make it to the office, he was always trying to find a way to ‘do a little more.’”

Mac and Gary Sinise's Shared Passions

Born in 1990, Mac graduated from USC Thornton School of Music. Father and son’s love for music inadvertently strengthened their bond.

“Mac had been playing drums since he was nine years old and was an exceptional drummer. He would substitute for my drummer, Danny Gottlieb, when Danny was unavailable to play our Lt. Dan Band shows. Those were some great times, father and son rockin' out together for the troops,” Gary recalled.

How Music Ties to the Gary Sinise Foundation

It was soon after Mac’s birth that Gary portrayed Lt. Dan Taylor in “Forrest Gump,” which earned him nominations for an Academy Award, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild Award.

More importantly, his portrayal helped the actor form an enduring connection with the military community. It was also the inspiration behind his band, Lt. Dan Band, formed in 2003. Since then, the band performed hundreds of shows for fundraisers and charities in support of wounded soldiers, troops, and veterans around the world.

In 2017, Mac officially joined the Gary Sinise Foundation, with the mission of honoring and serving American first responders, veterans, defenders, and those in need, which his father had founded six years prior. Gary, who received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame that same year, was thrilled with the development.

Mac Sinise Joins His Father's Foundation

“As a father, having him as part of the Foundation was a gift. He was a great representative who cared about the mission and those we serve, and I was eager to watch him grow with the organization. I was always happy to have him join me on the road, and I could see how much joy and pride he shared in our mission,” Gary shared.

Mac’s role in the foundation as Assistant Manager of Education & Outreach entailed handling and digitizing the Gary Sinise Foundation archive and managing their Education & Outreach Center.

Tragedy Strikes the Sinise Family

However, the following year, in 2018, the Sinise family had to face unexpected challenges when not one, but two family members got diagnosed with cancer.

In June, Gary’s wife Moira was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer, and two months later, Mac was diagnosed with a Chordoma, a very rare cancer that originates in the spine.

“What was happening? What is Chordoma? I had never heard of this. And two cancer patients, mother and son, within two months of each other? A real punch in the gut,” Gary recalled his reaction.

After doing some research, Gary found out that the rare form of cancer only affects about 300 people in the US per year. While it can be cured by removing the initial tumor in 70% of cases, it returns for the other 30%.

Mac Fighting against the Odds

While Moira’s cancer went into remission after treatment, Mac’s cancer returned after his initial tumor was removed in September 2018. After a second surgery and a follow-up scan in May 2019 showed that the cancer had spread.

Even though the disease left him more and more disabled as time went on, Mac never gave up, he kept fighting for himself, and for others.

“The cancer fight was getting harder, but throughout most of 2019 he was still able to come to the GSF office, until a third spine surgery in November of that year,” Gary noted.

Despite his failing health, Mac excitedly launched the Gary Sinise Foundation podcast and completed two interviews before his fourth spine surgery in January 2020.

“That year, he knew he had to step away to fight his battle. He would have to focus full-time on recovery and rehab, as there would be a fifth spine surgery in June, along with radiation and continuing chemotherapy,” Gary explained.

Mac Sinise's Fight for His Life Intensifies

In 2021, the Gary Sinise Foundation added a ‘Team Mac’ page to their website to help raise funds to research treatments for the rare Chordoma and to give friends and family a space where they could support Mac through encouraging messages.

By 2023, the debilitating effects of cancer had left Mac paralyzed from the chest down with only limited use of his right arm and fingers on his left hand, confined to his wheelchair or bed.

Gary's Heartbreaking Announcement

Sadly, on January 5, 2024, Mac lost the battle against the rare disease and his father shared the heartbreaking news on social media and the foundation’s website.

“We are heartbroken and have been managing as best we can. As parents, it is so difficult losing a child. My heart goes out to all who have suffered a similar loss, and to anyone who has lost a loved one. We've all experienced it in some way,” Gary lamented.

How the Sinise Family Support Those Who Experienced Loss

Gary Sinise spent the last four decades helping others in need who have experienced loss in one way or another, and while Mac only joined him for a short time, their work had a profound effect on people far and wide.

To date, the foundation completed 90 specially adapted smart homes for severely wounded heroes, provided 590 emergency relief grants to firefighters, police, and EMTs, provided 76 heroes with mobility devices, and donated 15 992 pieces of essential equipment, to name a few.

On March 14, 2024, Gary posted a video of the foundation’s latest efforts. The clip features an excerpt from the Lt. Dan Band concert during one of the Gary Sinise Foundation’s Invincible Spirit Festivals, which celebrates the courage shown by wounded service members going through rehabilitation, along with their caregivers and families.

Gary Sinise Celebrated for His Humanitarianism

In honor of the foundation’s commitment, Gary was surprised with a video of people expressing their gratitude for his humanitarian work.

“Your commitment, your dedication, your effort, you are awesome,” mused director Ron Howard. Former United States Secretary of State, General Colin Powell’s words echoed the sentiments of several other well-known names featured in the video, as he said:

“Thank you for all the things you have done for our young men and women who serve our nation. And not only for what you've done for them but what you've done for their children. What you've done for their families, what you've done to help them rebuild their lives.”

Gary’s surprise and reaction had already turned into an emotional experience by the time Mayim Bialik added, “It's really heartwarming and so incredibly meaningful - all of the amazing things that you do, you motivate other people, you are making such a difference.”

Having just turned 69 on March 17, Gary Sinise also received an outpour of love and support from social media users.

“Happy birthday!!! Thank you for all you do for our Veterans!!!” wrote one Facebook user, a sentiment shared by another, who gushed, “Happy 🎂 Birthday !! And thank you for all you do for our Veterans. God bless You.”

“Happy birthday, Gary you are a wonderful person the world needs more like you God bless 💗,” wrote another. While he now serves as an inspiration to many, Gary’s journey had somewhat of a “clueless” beginning.

Mac's First & Only Interview with Dad Reveals Where It All Began

Gary explained how he got into humanitarian work during a special podcast episode. It was Mac’s second and last completed podcast episode before he stepped away from the foundation to focus on his health.

“That was during the height of the Vietnam War when I was in high school. Yet I was completely disconnected. All I was thinking about was playing in bands and, uh you know trying to survive. You know, being a bad student in school, and you know, uh interest in girls,” Gary told Mac.

Even though Gary was surrounded by family members in military fields, and he was well aware of the high mortality rate during the war, it all went “right over [his] head” until he met Moira.

“I never paid any attention to that at all, it was only after. It was only after I got out of high school and, uh you know I met your mom. Her two brothers had served in Vietnam,” Gary explained.

After meeting Vietnam veterans through Moira, Gary started getting involved with support work, and it started to change his outlook on life.

“I started looking back at what I was doing during that period and feeling really guilty about it, just that I was so oblivious. Yeah, and I was kind of ashamed that I was so clueless,” Gary elaborated.

From then on, Gary put his focus on better understanding, and doing something about the “disconnect” service men and women experience after returning from war.

“We need our Defenders and so I've tried to just play a role in helping them and helping others to understand them a little bit better,” Gary said.

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