MAC Sinise, son of Forrest Gump and CSI: NY star Gary Sinise, has died at the age of 33 after a battle with a rare cancer.
Gary revealed the heartbreaking news in a post shared on the Gary Sinise Foundation website on Tuesday.
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Mac Sinise, son of Forrest Gump and CSI: NY star Gary Sinise, dies aged 33 after battle with rare cancerCredit: Courtesy of the Gary Sinise Foundation
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Gary revealed the heartbreaking news in a post shared on the Gary Sinise Foundation website Credit: Getty Images for Capital Concerts
The 68-year-old actor revealed that his son passed away on January 5 after a years-long battle with a rare spinal cancer called chordoma.
Mac, whose full name was McCanna Anthony, worked with the Gary Sinise Foundation and backed up his father’s Lt. Dan Band on drums until repeated spinal surgeries and advancing cancer forced him to step aside.
In a moving tribute, Gary spoke of the twin tragedies his family suffered in the summer of 2018 – when his wife, Moira, was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in June, just two months before Mac was diagnosed with chordoma in August.
Fortunately, Moira’s cancer went into remission after a successful operation to remove her lymph nodes, followed by chemotherapy and radiation.
However, Maca’s illness unfortunately won.
Regarding Mac’s work with the foundation, Gary stated, “Mac has joined the Gary Sinise Foundation team as our Associate Director of Education and Outreach.
“I was thrilled and excited that he came to help me with the mission.”
“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,” he continued.
“Especially when he could be hands-on with those we serve, like at our Soaring Valor events honoring our nation’s World War II heroes and our Invincible Spirit festivals, where we bring the Lt. Dan Band to help our wounded in military hospitals across the country. “
He spoke of Mac’s musicianship and revealed that his son had been playing the drums since he was nine and “was an exceptional drummer”.
Gary sweetly added that he and Mac played together in Lt. Dan Bandu had “great times”, as he recalled, “father and son playing together for the troops.”
The CSI star opened up about the rarity of Mac’s cancer, revealing that chordoma is a “one in a million” sprint cancer that “affects only 300 people in the US a year on average.”
Gary spoke of how Mac, after numerous spinal operations, was still keen to contribute to the Foundation while recovering at home.
In January 2020, the day before his fourth spinal surgery, Mac showed his courage when, despite undergoing medical treatment, he joined Gary in an interview on the GSF podcast.
The interview would complete Mac’s work with the Gary Sinise Foundation as he had to step aside to focus on his recovery and rehabilitation full time.
After losing his battle with the disease, Mac was laid to rest on January 23rd.
“Like any family that experiences such a loss, we are heartbroken and coping as best we can,” Gary wrote.
“As parents, it is so hard to lose a child. My heart goes out to everyone who has suffered a similar loss, and to everyone who has lost a loved one.
“We’ve all experienced it in some way. I’ve met so many families of our fallen heroes over the years. It’s heartbreaking and it’s just so damn hard,” he continued.
“While our hearts ache to miss him, we are comforted to know that Mac is no longer fighting, and we are inspired and touched by how he made it. He fought an uphill battle against a cancer that has no cure, but he never stopped trying.”
“I am so blessed, happy and proud to be his father,” he added.
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The 68-year-old actor revealed that his son had passed away on January 5 after a years-long battle with a rare cancer of the spine, ChordomaCredit: Courtesy of the Gary Sinise Foundation
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Mac worked with the Gary Sinise Foundation and supported his father’s Lt. Dan Band until advancing cancer forced him to step down Credits: Courtesy of the Gary Sinise Foundation
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Gary wrote: ‘I am so blessed, happy and proud to be his father’ Credit: Courtesy of the Gary Sinise Foundation
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