
Gary Sinise Opens Up About Leaving Hollywood, Son's Legacy, and His Mission to Serve Veterans
Stepping Away From Acting to Focus on Family
Sinise's decision to step away from acting was driven by personal hardship. In late 2019, as his son Mac's health declined due to a rare spinal cancer, Sinise wrapped up his last acting jobs, including roles in 'Joe Bell,' 'I Still Believe,' and the series '13 Reasons Why.'
'Leaving home was getting harder and harder as Mac was getting more and more challenged with things,' Sinise said. By December 2019, he finished his acting commitments and began focusing entirely on his family and the Gary Sinise Foundation.
Mac, a talented musician and foundation staffer, battled chordoma for nearly six years. Despite his condition, he completed an album, 'Resurrection & Revival,' in 2023.
'He celebrated his 33rd birthday in the recording studio, recording an album in 2023 that he envisioned doing, and he was very disabled by this awful, rare cancer that took his life,' Sinise said. Mac's music continues to support the foundation's mission, with proceeds from album sales benefiting veterans and first responders.
Sinise's wife, Moira, also faced health challenges, undergoing multiple surgeries for stage 3 breast cancer.
'A month before Mac was diagnosed with cancer, she was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. That was a hard summer—the 2018 summer. I had two cancer patients, you know, to care for, and that was tough,' Sinise recalled.
Related Stories
11/15/2024
11/16/2020
Moira is now cancer-free, but the experience deepened Sinise's resolve to prioritize family and service.
A Life of Service Inspired by Family and History
Sinise's commitment to veterans began decades before his Hollywood fame. Influenced by Vietnam veterans in his wife's family and his own relatives who served in earlier wars, Sinise became aware of the challenges faced by veterans returning home.
'I started to feel very guilty and badly for what happened to them, you know, when they served in Vietnam and came home. So I wanted to try to do something back in the early 80s and in Chicago,' Sinise said.
This led to his involvement in the play 'Tracers,' written and performed by Vietnam veterans. The experience opened his eyes to the struggles of veterans and inspired his ongoing support.
Playing Lieutenant Dan in 'Forrest Gump' further deepened his connection to the veteran community.
'There's no question it played a greater role in my life than just a part in a movie,' he said. 'I very much wanted to honor our Vietnam veterans by doing a good job, you know, just playing a Vietnam veteran and in a way that they would feel was honorable and true and truthful.'
The Gary Sinise Foundation: Supporting Veterans and First Responders
Founded in 2011, the Gary Sinise Foundation supports veterans, first responders, and their families through a range of programs.
'We are here to support all those who serve and defend us on the military side—our veterans, our families that serve alongside them, our first responders, the families that serve alongside them, families of our fallen heroes and first responders—we have a role to play in supporting there,' Sinise said.
Key initiatives include:
Lieutenant Dan Band: Sinise's band has performed nearly 600 free concerts at military bases and hospitals worldwide over the last 20 years.
RISE Program: Builds specially adapted smart homes for severely wounded veterans. 'We just gave away our 95th house since I've been involved in this,' Sinise said.
First Responder Outreach: Provides support for first responders, including vehicles for those in need and memorials like the Brooklyn Wall of Remembrance, honoring those lost on Sept. 11.
Snowball Express: Brings children and surviving spouses of fallen military and first responder heroes to Disney World for healing and community. 'Every year, we take over 1,000 kids and the surviving spouse of military heroes to Disney World,' Sinise said. 'And then a couple of years ago, we started adding families of fallen first responders.'
A Philosophy of Service and Healing
Sinise believes that service is a powerful way to heal personal pain and strengthen communities.
'Service. I always say this is a great healer for a broken heart, and it helped me a lot through our fight for our son and the difficulties and the challenges of fighting for him and then losing him,' he said, adding that he didn't stop doing service work during that time. 'It was the thing that was helping me with our own battle at home,' he said.
From NTD News
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
'SATC' Alum Kyle MacLachlan Reveals If He'll Appear on ‘And Just Like That'
'SATC' Alum Kyle MacLachlan Reveals If He'll Appear on 'And Just Like That' originally appeared on Parade. Sex and the City alum Kyle MacLachlan revealed if he will reprise his role of Trey MacDougal on the beloved show's revival, And Just Like That... 'Listen, I would love to come back and have fun,' MacLachlan, 66, told Us Weekly about potentially appearing on the new show. In fact, MacLachlan revealed he was previously approached about appearing on And Just Like That... 'And what they suggested to me, I said, 'I think there should be more,'' he shared. 'So I just said, 'I wonder, if the relationship that Charlotte and Trey had demands a little more than their first idea.'' During the original show, main character Charlotte York (Kristin Davis) was briefly married to Trey. While he initially seemed like the perfect partner, the relationship ended in divorce after he struggled sexually in their relationship. While MacLachlan did not reveal exactly where the And Just Like That... writers think Trey is today, he shared what he thinks his character is up to. Parade Daily🎬 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 'It'd be very interesting,' he continued. 'I had suggested that Trey has maybe moved to Napa and has a very successful winery and label there — you can see where I'm going with this. But no, I actually haven't said anything yet. Regardless. The show's doing great. They're all lovely. And I adore them.' Sex and the City premiered on HBO in June 1998. The show follows the lives of friend group Charlotte, Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall) and Miranda Hobbs (Cynthia Nixon) as they navigate their love lives and professional endeavors in New York City. The series finale aired in February 2004, though the core group of stars reprised their roles in two films. Meanwhile, Davis, 60, Parker, 60, and Nixon, 59, all returned for And Just Like That..., which premiered in 2021 and is currently in its third season. Cattrall, 68, opted to not appear in the spinoff, though she made a cameo in a season 2 episode. More recently, Samantha was briefly involved in the June 26 episode was she exchanged text messages with Carrie. 'SATC' Alum Kyle MacLachlan Reveals If He'll Appear on 'And Just Like That' first appeared on Parade on Jun 30, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 30, 2025, where it first appeared. Solve the daily Crossword


Cosmopolitan
2 days ago
- Cosmopolitan
The best signature lip colours for your star sign – 15 most suitable shades to enhance your personality type
It's national lipstick day! Which is yes, a real thing, and a moment to celebrate the most transformative part of your makeup routine. Let's be honest, a good concealer can banish the tiredness from the night (or years) before but nothing has the power to distract from a dull complexion or bring a sparkle to the eye the way a good lip product can. And, as with a lot of things, the power of a good lip product increases when it's aligned with the stars much like you nail designs, or your bob hair cut. Now, this is not a certified fact (we see you sceptics lurking), more of a beauty observation. And with SO many product options out there, a little celestial guidance can be needed sometimes, right? So, in celebration of lip products everywhere, here are the ones you need to try according to your star sign (check out your moon and rising too though!) (23rd August - 22nd September) Virgo, we know you're the quality controllers of the zodiac sign, and nothing sub-par will ever cross your lips. BUT we also know that under that more critical and classical-leaning veneer, you like a bit of cheeky fun. True to form, our Virgo queen Senior Fashion Editor Becky is a huge fan of the Isamaya Liplacq in Metal. Not only is it chic (the packaging, hello!), the colour is unique and the formula is multi-tasking with hyaluronic acid to hydrate and plump the lips to boot. (23rd September - 22nd October) Dearest Libra friends, we know it kills you to make a snappy decision, so why ponder over whether you should use a lip balm to nourish or a gloss for shine, and pick both? The Violette_FR Lip Nectars contain squalane, shea butter, ceramides and hyaluronic acid to repair but gives lips a hit of colour too. Plus, we know you love for effortless beauty has Parisian flair written all over it. (23rd October - 21st November) Sexy Scorpio, a sultry brown like Fenty Gloss Bomb Heat in Hot Choclit needs a space in your handbag. It's a universal nude that looks so good on all skin tones, it has enough pigment in it that it creates a 'wow' factor but isn't so pigmented that you have to worry about too much transfer when you're smooching your beau. Also, the subtle lip plumping affect makes your lips look extra kissable. Cosmo's Fashion Assistant Angel calls it 'literally the perfect brown gloss'. "I always get compliments on it," she notes. (22nd November - 21st December) Bounding, fearless and optimistic, your best lip product was never going to be a nude pink, was it? Saggis, you are trailblazing and rebellious, so natch a red would match your boldness perfectly, but one that's not your typical. Fellow Sag, Cosmo's Video Lead, Meg, loves MAC silky matte hue Marrakesh. The formula stays put for all your yapping and it suits all skin colours too. (22nd December - 19th January) T The hardest-working star sign needs a product that delivers just as hard, right? It's why I, Cosmo UK's resident Capricorn, reach for this tinted lip oil time and time again. Is it a tint, a gloss, an oil or a stain? Girl, it's a hybrid of all three but does all of them SO well. It's not sticky but leaves a cushiony softness on the lips and when the oil wears away you still have a beautiful tint on the lips that is anything but dry. (20th January - 19th February) Your creative, care-free nature is so befitting for a fun, standout colour – it brings out the eccentricity in you – like the new Too Faced Cloud Crush Whipped Lip & Cheek Lip Colour in Super Candy Clouds. Cosmo's Social Media Manager, Kiera, a fellow Aquarian, also loves the Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb in Fuchsia Flex. (20th February – 20th March) Romantic and magical, we love a Piscean. As a watery sign, a more liquid formula suits you to the ground and something that gives you that lover's flush or the look of a just-kissed lip? Yes, please. And we know that you'll love the fact that Benetint works just as well for the cheeks and lips cos it's kinda beauty witchcraft. (21st March – 20th April) Warm, fiery and passionate, a burnt orangey red is you, Aries, in lipstick form. Being the light in any room you step in, of course a power shade was going to be your pick. Sophie, Cosmo's Booking Director, who's Aries through and through, swears by Dior Rouge Velvet Lipstick in Fahrenheit (777). (21st April – 21st May) We know you're fussy particular with your beauty choices, fair Taurus, so you'll love Vieve Poutder lip formulas. They were created in South Korea and contain a plethora of great skin-nourishing ingredients like vitamin E and hyaluronic acid and deliver a matte texture that suits your active lifestyle. The shade Ripple is a deep rose hue that works for all skin tones. (22nd May - 21st June) Yep, we knew your interest piqued when you read 'Odyssey' because a Gemini would have to use a lip gloss that's an adventure to use. Milk Odyssey lip gloss (that Cosmo's Gemini SEO manager, Amy, loves in the shade Trek) is a cushion-y gloss that's flecked with iridescent shimmery particles and we know it speaks to your youthful character. But if you want something that speaks to your more ruthless, cut throat side, a deep, dark brownish red like NARS Explicit Lipstick in Ravenous is perfect for you. (22nd June - 22nd July) Cosmo UK's very own Cancerian Senior Features Editor, Jenni, swears by this classic red, Urban Decay's Vice Matte Lipstick in 714 and it's completely befitting to all the best Cancerian traits. Loyalty is easy with a classic blue-toned red that suits all and can beautify your other features (make your eyes and your teeth look more sparkly) which we know you're all about. But, with your shifting moods with the moon phases, you might prefer a more girlish pick too so for that Alex, our Cancerian Senior Fashion Writer recommends the Laneige Glaze Craze Tinted Lip Serum. (23rd July – 22nd August) What says 'look at me' more that juicy, full lips? A plumping gloss in nude has to be your go-to, Leo. You thrive when you look your best but in that 'I'll naturally this gorgeous' kinda way which is why a nude hue is surprisingly your signature. When it comes to plumping glosses though, given your love for pampering and hatred for discomfort you need one that isn't going to be too painful or irritating, luckily, our resident Leo, Beauty Writer Lia, recommends the Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Big Lip Plumpgasm glosses. Keeks Reid is the Beauty Director at Cosmopolitan UK. While she loves all things beauty, Keeks is a hair fanatic through and through. She started her career in beauty journalism in 2013 as editorial assistant at Blackhair and Hair magazines working her way to Acting Editor of Blackhair magazine at 23 years old. She spent much of her career working in trade hairdressing media at Hairdressers Journal, Salon International and the British Hairdressing Awards. Which is why she is a regular contributor to Cosmo's Curl Up franchise. Now, alongside her Cosmo work, she presents, creates content on social media and works with a range of beauty companies; from magazines and websites to beauty brands and salons.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
A classic Sunny takes on Cybertrucks and slap fights
[Editor's note: The A.V. Club will return to recap this season's finale on August 20.] It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia has gifted fans dozens of the dumbest schemes in the history of television. In fact, if you had to say what this show was about more than anything else, it would probably be five idiots doing damage control after their very bad ideas explode in their faces. Whether they're making Kitten Mittens, collecting Philly's trash, or solving the gas crisis, the Paddy's Pub Gang has a unique ability to take get-rich-quick schemes and set them on fire. And in 'Thought Leadership: A Corporate Conversation,' writers Charlie Day and Rob Mac use viral subjects like slap fighting and Tesla's Cybertruck to concoct a very funny episode that feels both classic Sunny and current. An alternate title for this week's episode could have been 'The Gang Has Watched Too Much Succession.' The HBO hit isn't directly name-checked, but that booming score sure sounds a lot like Nicholas Brittell's compositions on the multiple Emmy winner. They've actually been watching a bunch of clips of a corporate retreat in Idaho, leading to some fantastic misinterpretations of 'business speak,' including Mac saying nonsense like 'hammer down our brand identity and come out open commando' and Charlie thinking the sacrificial lamb was actual meat and also suggesting they use other animals than a 'scapegoat' like maybe a 'fall fish' or a 'scapefish' or a 'fall bird'—and then we're back to Dee. (Charlie Day is spectacular in this episode.) The YouTube rabbit hole of Idaho corporate training also allows people like Dennis and Mac to say phrases that mean just about nothing, like, 'First and foremost, the business must be protected at all times.' The current concern is a reporter in Paddy's Pub who Frank believes is there because they dumped 500 gallons of baby oil and 200 Paddy's Pub T-shirts into the Schuylkill River. How did that happen? Flashback time! 'Paddysgate' started several weeks ago when Frank found a jug out back, arguably the dumbest inciting event for one of his schemes to date. After arguing over how to musically use the jug, and a bit of clawing each other's faces, the Gang got their own individual jugs, but they were full of water. How do you get rid of water? Charlie insists it can't be used to clean the bar and it's probably not smart to start a fire, so they begin the slow process of drinking it and talk about the art of braising, evidence disposal, baby oil, and even the Cybertruck. And then there's the big question of 2025: 'What are your thoughts on slap fighting?' After a few days of slapping within the group, Mac has a business idea: 'professional slap fighting.' They stage these bouts in the bar, which attracts a crowd. But the gang has never come up with a good idea they couldn't destroy, often through their horniness. So Dennis gives an amazing speech about how slap fighting isn't erotic enough and turns it into a pitch about an unfulfilled future: 'We were promised women going wild.' Before you know it, Paddy's has moved from burly dudes to bikinis and baby oil, although most of the women don't go for the latter. And to entice a higher quality of contestant, they decide to give away a prize: a Cybertruck. But they become obsessed with Elon's dumb car and decide they want to keep it for themselves, forcing Dee to become a ringer in the competition. It might have worked if Charlie hadn't fallen back on some bad habits. He goes to find the Waitress (Day's wife, Mary Elizabeth Ellis), offering to 'oil' her so she can win the car. And there's a truly funny exchange in which she asks if he's stalking her again. 'No, that's not my thing,' he says. 'Flirting maybe.' It's a clever nod to a conversation around the show regarding Charlie's aggressive behavior, especially in early seasons, that also underlines his complete lack of self-awareness. As the Waitress is living in her car, she jumps at the chance to upgrade her domicile, slapping the shit out of Dee before discovering they're not actually giving away a Tesla. When she threatens to go to the police, Frank and company dispose of the evidence, but Charlie reveals that Frank's urgency is because he had crossed the 'girls gone wild' line and was staging an orgy in the basement. After the blame game is complete, the Gang comes up with a 'no comment'—only to discover that the sole customer in Paddy's Pub isn't a reporter. She's the sex worker for Frank's orgy. Stray observations • Never using Elon's actual name is wonderful—you know he would have loved being referred to as something other than 'The Space Nerd'—as is Dee's revelation that she thinks the Cybertruck is ugly. She is not wrong. • Playing 'In the Hall Of The Mountain King' while Dee slaps the sanity out of people is a season highlight. • Charlie has so many good lines this week, including 'They're too dry! And so they don't feel wild!' and 'How do you get the oil out of the baby?' • Mary Elizabeth Ellis has been in at least one episode of every season of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, and we still don't know her character's name. The Gang does! They revealed recently on their podcast that not only did she originally have a name they still know but explain why they will probably never reveal it. It's a good watch. More from A.V. Club 3 new songs and 3 new albums to check out this weekend E! News gets the axe again Dave Letterman tears into "gutless" CBS over Colbert cancellation Solve the daily Crossword