'Forrest Gump' Actor Gary Sinise's Son Dead at 33 After Battle With Rare Cancer
Gary Sinise's son has died at the young age of 33. The Forrest Gump actor's only boy, McCanna Anthony Sinise, whom the family lovingly calls Mac, passed away early last month after a five-year battle with a rare cancer called Chordoma, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Gary shared the heartbreaking news on his foundation's website Tuesday, revealing Mac had "one in a million cancer" that only affects an average of 300 people in the U.S. every year.
Mac died on January 5 at 3:25 PM and was laid to rest on January 23. Gary revealed his son was diagnosed with Chordoma in 2018, just months after his wife, retired actress Moira Harris, was in chemotherapy with stage 3 breast cancer. Harris is now cancer-free, but Gary called the time "a real punch in the gut" for their family.
After several surgeries, they discovered that Mac's cancer had spread in May 2019.
"This began a long battle that disabled him more and more as time went on. The cancer fight was getting harder," Gary shared while revealing Mac continued working for his father's foundation, which the actor said he found tremendous joy in.
Calling his son's personality "engaging and upbeat," Gary said that "having him as part of the Foundation was a gift." Mac stopped working for the organization in January 2020 to "focus full-time on recovery and rehab."
Gary also recalled Mac's love for music, calling him "an exceptional drummer."
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"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 shared, later revealing that Mac finished an album with original compositions before his passing.
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"The week the album went to press, Mac lost his battle with cancer," his dad wrote.
"Like any family experiencing such a loss, 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's statement read.
"Our family's cancer fight lasted for 5 ½ years, and it became more and more challenging as time went on. While our hearts ache at missing him, we are comforted in knowing that Mac is no longer struggling, and inspired and moved by how he managed it. He fought an uphill battle against a cancer that has no cure, but he never quit trying," he continued. "I am so blessed, fortunate, and proud to be his dad."
Besides Mac, Gary and Moira share two adult daughters: Sophie and Ella.
R.I.P.