Gary Sinise’s son, Mac Sinise, died at the age of 33 after a long illness with a rare form of cancer. The Gary Sinise Foundation published a tribute announcing that Mac died on January 6, 2024.
Mac was laid to rest on January 23, 2024. Gary spoke of how bravely his son fought an uphill battle with a cancer that had no cure. The “CSI: New York” star was proud, fortunate, and blessed to be Mac’s dad.
In a long and emotional tribute, Gary opened up about Mac’s life. He revealed that his son had been playing drums since he was nine years old. As an exceptional drummer, Mac would substitute for Gary’s drummer, Danny Gottlieb. He would play drums at “CSI: New York.” rap parties with the Lt. Dan Band.
He sweetly recalled, “Those were some great times, father and son rockin’ out together for the troops.” However, Gary’s family was rocked when mother and son were diagnosed with cancer within months of each other.
The summer of 2018 posed significant challenges for Gary’s family. In June of that year, his wife Moira Harris, received a diagnosis of stage 3 breast cancer. Following lymph node surgery, she commenced chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
Then, on August 8, 2018, Gary’s family received the startling news of Mac’s diagnosis with a rare cancer called Chordoma. This revelation left them reeling, as they grappled with the rarity and severity of the disease.
Gary dived online and found out that Chordoma, a cancer originating in the spine, is exceedingly rare, affecting approximately 300 individuals in the United States annually.
He also learned that while 70% of cases allow for successful removal of the initial tumor and subsequent cure, the remaining 30% face the distressing possibility of cancer recurrence, presenting a daunting challenge for his family.
Luckily, Gary’s wife went into treatment and was soon in remission. Her cancer hasn’t returned since. However, for Mac, the battle was harder. Following the surgery to eliminate the initial tumor in September 2018, Mac underwent an additional spinal procedure in February 2019 to deal with what appeared to be an infection.
Regrettably, a subsequent scan in May 2019 showed that his Chordoma had resurfaced and was spreading. Thus began a prolonged battle, during which Mac’s condition worsened over time, posing greater challenges to his well-being.
Even as the cancer fight got harder in 2019, Mac still went to the Gary Sinise Foundation’s offices. He stopped going to the office in 2019 after a third spine surgery in November 2019. Before he was diagnosed with cancer, Mac’s position at the foundation was the Assistant Manager of Education and Outreach as of February 27, 2017.
Gary’s son’s responsibilities involved managing the Gary Sinise Foundation archive, digitizing materials, and overseeing operations at the foundation’s Education & Outreach Center. This included organizing events, conducting tours, engaging with donors, and reaching out to military service members, veterans, first responders, and their families who received the foundation’s support.
Gary noted that Mac Sinise had a friendly demeanor, so, he made a positive impact on visitors at the Gary Sinise: A Call-to-Action exhibit and contributed to various local and national events.
The actor said having Mac on the team was a blessing as he was deeply committed to the foundation’s mission and the individuals they assisted. Gary looked forward to seeing his son progress within the organization.
Gary expressed that Mac consistently infused their mission with joy and pride, especially evident during hands-on events such as the Soaring Valor gatherings, which honored WWII heroes, and the Invincible Spirit Festivals, where the Lt. Dan Band uplifted wounded veterans at military hospitals across the nation.
Mac’s enthusiasm was evident whenever he joined Gary on the road, and his dedication to their cause shone through in every interaction. “I was eager to watch him grow with the organization,” noted Gary.
Gary reflected on Mac’s determination to contribute to the foundation even while in recovery at home. Despite encountering personal obstacles, Mac enthusiastically began the endeavor of launching the Gary Sinise Foundation.
His commitment shone through as he successfully conducted two interviews, one with the foundation’s video producer, Kip Perry, and another with Gary himself. However, in January 2020, on the eve of his fourth spine surgery, Mac recognized the need to step away temporarily from the foundation duties to focus on his health.
Gary acknowledged Mac’s decision to prioritize his recovery, understanding that it required his full attention, especially with a fifth spine surgery scheduled for June 2020, followed by radiation and ongoing chemotherapy.
As Mac continued his relentless fight against Chordoma, friends and family wanted to help. So, the family created the page “Team Mac,” where they could raise funds for the highly-required research to find treatments for this rare orphan cancer.
Mac’s condition worsened when the cancer paralyzed him from the chest down. Due to his disability, he couldn’t play drums and piano anymore. This was a blow to Mac, who was a graduate of the USC Thorton School of Music. At school, he also played drums and studied songwriting and composition. At one point, he played drums at their home’s garage.
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