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Gary Sinise Foundation
McCanna “Mac” Anthony Sinise, the musician son of actor Gary Sinise, died of a rare spinal cancer, chordoma, Forrest Gump star announced today.
Mac Sinise, who had recently finished working on his album. resurrection and revival, He died on January 5 after a years-long battle with the disease. Gary Sinise announced his death today on the Gary Sinise Foundation website.
“The week the album went to press, Mac lost his battle with cancer,” his father wrote in a lengthy tribute. He “he died on January 5, 2024 at 3:25 p.m. and was buried on January 23. Like any family that experiences a loss like this, we are heartbroken and have been handling it the best we can… I feel very blessed, lucky and proud to be his father.”
Mac Sinise was diagnosed with chordoma in August 2018, just two months after Gary Sinise’s wife Moira was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. “What was going on?” the actor writes. “What is chordoma? I had never heard of this. And two cancer patients, mother and son, two months apart? A real punch in the stomach.”
As Sinise explains, chordoma affects, on average, only 300 people in the US per year. “In 70% of cases, the initial tumor can be removed and cured. But in 30% of cases, maybe 90 people a year, the cancer comes back.” While Moira Sinise’s cancer went into remission, Mac underwent two spinal surgeries, but the chordoma had returned by May 2019.
“This began a long battle that made him increasingly incapacitated as time went on,” Sinise writes. “The fight against cancer was becoming more difficult, but for most of 2019 he was still able to come to the GSF (Gary Sinise Foundation) office, until a third spine surgery in November of that year.”
Mac Sinise joined the Foundation, which serves veterans, first responders and their families, in 2017 as Assistant Director of Education and Outreach. “I was thrilled and excited that he came on board to help me with the mission,” Sinise writes. “His job duties included managing and digitizing our Gary Sinise Foundation archive and managing our Education and Outreach Center, which included hosting events, conducting tours, managing donors, and communicating with military service members, veterans, first responders, and families who received money. our support.
“With his engaging and optimistic personality, he inspired people through our Gary Sinise: A Call to Action exhibit at the Education and Outreach Center, and helped with day-to-day activities as well as local and national events. 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 he was eager to see him grow with the organization.”
Mac Sinise also served as a drummer in Gary’s band, Lt. Dan Band.
“As parents, it is very difficult to lose a child,” Sinise writes. “My heart goes out to everyone who has suffered a similar loss and to anyone who has lost a loved one. We have all experienced it in some way. Over the years, I have met many families of our fallen heroes. It is heartbreaking and very difficult. Our family’s fight against cancer lasted five and a half years and became increasingly more challenging as time went on. While our hearts ache for missing him, we take comfort in knowing that Mac is no longer struggling and we are inspired and touched by the way he did it.
“He fought a tough battle against cancer that has no cure, but he never stopped trying. Mac loved movies and we always told him that he reminded us of the soldier at the end of the extraordinary movie. 1917running across the battlefield, with bombs exploding around him, knocking him down one after another, but he keeps getting back up, refusing to give up and keeps running forward.”
In an addendum to Sinise’s post, the Foundation notes: “At this time, Gary and the family have not asked for anything. They shared that all the kind words and prayers have been incredibly helpful and uplifting. Some people have taken it upon themselves to contribute to the Chordoma Foundation or the Gary Sinise Foundation. “We made sure to inform the Sinise family of the donations received in honor of Mac. They are very grateful for their prayers and support.”
Read Sinise full message here.