Gary Sinise Reflects On How He Has Been Dealing With His 33-Year-Old Son’s Death

Forrest Gump star Gary Sinise recently lost his son, Mac Sinise, after a prolonged battle with a rare form of cancer, chordoma, at the tender age of 33. Following Mac’s death, the 68-year-old candidly shared the intricate emotions and challenges he faced while navigating the devastating loss of his beloved son.

“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,” he shared in his heartfelt tribute. “Over the years, I have met so many families of our fallen heroes. It’s heartbreaking, and it’s just damn hard.”

Gary Sinise on how he’s coping with the loss of his son, Mac Sinise

The father of three disclosed that upon learning of Mac’s rare diagnosis in August 2018, which coincided with his wife’s breast cancer diagnosis, he took his time to research the disease. “I had never heard of this,” Sinise shared. “And two cancer patients, mother and son, within two months of each other? A real punch in the gut.”

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“I went online to see what I could find. Chordoma is a one in a million cancer. Originating in the spine, Chordoma affects, on average, only 300 people in the U.S. per year,” he explained further. “In 70% of the cases, the initial tumor can be removed, and it is cured. But in 30% of the cases, perhaps about 90 people per year, the cancer returns.”

Sinise explained that even though his son was facing severe illness, Mac showed remarkable resilience and strength throughout the ordeal, which lasted for quite some time. “Our family’s cancer fight lasted for 5 ½ years, and it became more and more challenging as time went on,” he admitted. “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 added that Mac’s refusal to let his condition define him profoundly inspired and motivated those around him. “He fought an uphill battle against a cancer that has no cure, but he never quit trying. Mac loved movies, and we always told him he reminded us of the soldier at the end of the extraordinary film 1917, running through the battlefield, bombs going off all around him, knocking him down one after the other, yet he keeps getting back up, refusing to quit and keeps running forward,” Sinise confessed.”I am so blessed, fortunate, and proud to be his dad.”