Honoring a 'man of great faith': Gary Sinise opens up about power of prayer while grappling with heartbreaking loss of son



Actor Gary Sinise shared the pain of watching his son bravely battle cancer but also emphasized how the power of prayer and deep faith rendered hope and support during the heartbreaking tribulations that took the life of a "man of great faith."

In August 2018, McCanna Anthony "Mac" Sinise was diagnosed with chordoma — a very rare, slow-growing cancer that forms in the spine or base of the skull. Mac underwent surgery to remove the first tumor in September 2018. Sadly, the cancer returned by May 2019.

Sinise recently told Christian Broadcasting Network, "It had come back, and it was starting to spread throughout his body. He was back in the hospital again, and he started chemo and radiation at that point, but there is no cure for this particular cancer. There’s no reliable drug that has been used to fight it that has been effective."

Sinise characterized the clash with cancer as "very disabling and crippling." He noted that the tumors were "growing very fast," which is uncharacteristic for chordoma.

Mac endured several unforgiving treatments, debilitating medications, excruciating surgeries, and extended hospital visits.

Making matters even worse, Gary's wife, Moira, was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in the summer of 2018. She too was undergoing surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation. After several months of treatment, Moira's cancer went into remission.

Mac was not as fortunate — the cancer was spreading throughout his body.

By November 2018, Mac had gone through his third spinal surgery to remove the tumors. At that point, Mac was so disabled by the cancer that he could no longer come into the office where he worked as an assistant manager at the Gary Sinise Foundation. The cancer eventually forced him to resign from his position in his father's charity.

Sinise confessed, "Have there been times where I just kind of fell down on the stairs and kind of let the emotion out … because, at times, I didn’t know what else to do? I was trying to do everything I could to find solutions for Mac and his cancer."

During his grueling fight against cancer, Mac "loved his Catholic faith" and embraced his religion to give him strength.

Sinise told CBN, "It was just inspiring to see how it helped sustain him through this cancer battle."

To help him through his courageous journey, Mac also drew solace from the power of prayer, wrote journals, and revisited his passion for creating music.

Mac had been a drummer since the age of nine and would even be a substitute drummer in Sinise's Lt. Dan Band — a musical group that catered to wounded veterans at military hospitals across the country.

However, the cancer robbed Mac's ability to play the drums and piano since the cancer had mostly paralyzed him from the neck down.

Sinise recalled, "Early 2023, he said to me, 'Dad, you know, there’s some music that I never finished in college, and I think I’d like to try to finish it.' And he hadn’t been thinking about music much at all, really, but early 2023, he starts talking about that."

From his hospital bed, Mac finished a song that he had started in his college days.

Mac was a graduate of the USC Thornton School of Music. He reconnected with Oliver Schnee – an old friend from college and a composer. Schnee orchestrated and produced Mac's piece of music titled "Arctic Circles."

On July 17, 2023, the "Arctic Circles" song was recorded at the prominent Sunset Sound recording studio in Los Angeles, California.

Sinise recalled, "I was just a sobbing mess when I went to the recording studio with him because he hadn’t played any of it for me at all. I had never heard it when he wrote it in college."

The proud father added, "I was so unprepared for what I was going to hear. It was all a surprise, and it was all a beautiful, beautiful moment to hear."

Mac Sinise - Arctic Circles www.youtube.com

Moira encouraged Mac to satisfy his musical thirst by playing the harmonica, which he taught himself to play.

Mac recorded two more music sessions in Tennessee with his original pieces, where he played harmonica with members of the Lt. Dan Band, including his father on the bass.

The musical troupe performed a cover of the old American folk song "Red River Valley," which his mother used to sing to him and his sisters when they were small children.

The sessions were recorded at the renowned Blackbird Studios in Nashville, where songs have been recorded by music stars such as Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, and Tim McGraw.

Mac celebrated his 33rd birthday by recording songs with a full orchestra at the studio and featured a special appearance by accomplished singer Harry Connick Jr.

Mac Sinise - A Surprise Visit From Harry Connick, Jr. At The Studio www.youtube.com

The "Forrest Gump" star revealed that Mac had "fulfilled his dream" by recording his original music.

"He accomplished what he was looking to do, and he was happy at the end of his life — and that’s comforting for our family for sure," Sinise said.

Despite all of the struggles and overwhelming tribulations, Mac turned to music and faith to help him persevere.

"I know his faith played a strong part in helping to sustain him through this battle," Sinise explained. "And I was there with him every step of the way in these hospital stays and with [him] those final days before he died and saw him struggling. But I knew that he was fulfilled with what he’d accomplished at the end."

Sinise described his brave son as "a man of great faith — great, great faith."

However, Mac was fighting an extremely difficult uphill battle. The young man embraced his faith and turned to consistently reading a St. Augustine prayer book – where he underlined text and wrote his thoughts pertaining to his fight for his life.

"That was his special prayer book that he left his mother," Sinise stated. "He wrote in it, 'At my passing, give to mom,' and a lot of things [are] underlined in there."

Sinise admitted the crushing pain of watching the life escape from his son.

"In all my 69 years … sorrowful moments or painful moments along the way, I’ve never experienced a sorrow and a pain like this," Sinise lamented. "He was beginning to let go. The fight was going out of him."

McCanna Anthony "Mac" Sinise passed away at 3:25 p.m. on Jan. 5, 2024, at the young age of 33 following a lengthy and tragic cancer battle.

Sinise was serenaded with an outpouring of heartfelt condolences over his son's tragic passing.

Mac left loved ones a portal into his soul that documented his most trying times.

"I’ve discovered a lot of stuff on his iPhone and iPad that he wrote, even things that he recorded, you know, selfies of him talking to the camera about what he was thinking and what he was feeling," Sinise revealed. "And, so I knew he was preparing himself as much as possible, and my job was just to keep trying to find drugs, keep trying to fight, and I never wanted to give up, even in the hospital in those final days."

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Condolences flow on news that Gary Sinise's 33-year-old son died after cancer battle



There has been an outpouring of support and condolences for Gary Sinise in response to the actor's announcement that his son, McCanna Anthony "Mac" Sinise, passed away last month at age 33 after a years-long cancer battle.

In a tribute, Sinise explained that Mac, had worked to create beautiful music while facing cancer. "Mac's inspiring parting gift to us," Sinise wrote.

Sinise's post on X linking to the tribute has amassed nearly three million views so far.

"What a beautiful tribute, my friend. Though I never knew him, it is obvious that Mac was blessed with your strength and integrity. What a special young man. My deepest condolences to you and your family," actor Lou Diamond Phillips said in a post on X.

Actress Patricia Heaton urged people to reach out to Sinise, tweeting, "Friends, please reach out to my pal Gary, who recently lost his only son Mac to cancer. Mac put up a valiant fight, with the help of his devoted family and teams of dedicated doctors who did their best. This is a very special family, who give so much to the world, but now is the moment to give back some of that love. #RIPMacSinise"


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Actor James Woods tweeted, "People call each other 'brother,' but I don't believe in that. If I did, however, Gary Sinise would be the man I would say it to. His loss is beyond words, but my heart is full of him today. May God bless him and his family in this terrible time. #RIPMcCannaSinise."

— (@)

"RIP. God bless y'all," GOP Rep. Chip Roy of Texas tweeted.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who is the father of current Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, tweeted, "Not a finer person on earth than @GarySinise & sincere condolences to him and his family."

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'Mac's inspiring parting gift to us': Gary Sinise announces death of his 33-year-old son, saying his music 'will live on'

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Actor Gary Sinise has announced that his son, McCanna Anthony "Mac" Sinise, passed away on January 5 at age 33 after a lengthy cancer battle.

Mac was diagnosed with the rare cancer chordoma in August 2018 and became increasingly disabled over time, his father explained in a tribute posted on the Gary Sinise Foundation website. Sinise noted that his son had worked for the Foundation but eventually had to give that work up.

The organization's mission is to "serve our nation by honoring our defenders, veterans, first responders, their families, and those in need." For example, one of the group's initiatives is to "build 100% mortgage-free specially adapted smart homes for our most severely wounded heroes."

"With Mac, after surgery to remove the initial tumor in September of 2018, and another spine procedure in February 2019 to clear what looked like an infection, unfortunately a follow up scan in May of 2019 would show that his Chordoma had come back and was spreading. This began a long battle that disabled him more and more as time went on. The cancer fight was getting harder, but throughout most of 2019 he was still able to come to the GSF office, until a third spine surgery in November of that year," Sinise wrote.

"While in recovery at home, he was still eager to contribute to the Foundation and he was excited to launch our Gary Sinise Foundation podcast. He was just getting started, completing two interviews, the first with our Gary Sinise Foundation video producer Kip Perry, and the second with yours truly. In January of 2020, the day before he went in for his 4th spine surgery, Mac and I sat down together for his GSF podcast interview with me. This would finish his work with Gary Sinise Foundation. That year, he knew he had to step away to fight his battle. He would have to focus full-time on recovery and rehab, as there would be a fifth spine surgery in June, along with radiation and continuing chemotherapy," Sinise continued.

But despite his physical limitations, Mac, who had graduated from the USC Thornton School of Music, worked on creating music during his cancer battle, including by completing "Arctic Circles," an unfinished composition that he had started in college. The piece was recorded last year.

"Now, 10 years later, I found a way to write music again in my hospital bed. In addition to getting back in touch with a producer friend from college, Oliver Schnee, I recovered my old piece and I decided to go for it!" part of the description section of the YouTube video for the piece reads on the Mac Sinise YouTube channel. "Time is precious and I want to take advantage of the times that I feel strong. The result has been incredible collaborations with members of the Lt Dan Band and my buddy Oliver Schnee to finally finish writing and recording 'Arctic Circles'."

"His music videos can be seen in their entirety on Mac Sinise YouTube. Included with the video of 'Arctic Circles' is a special text message from Mac that I found on his phone after his death. He intended to post it as he was so happy to share this piece of music with you all," Gary Sinise wrote. "The album, Mac Sinise: Resurrection and Revival, will be finished and available soon."

"He gave his family and friends so much during his 33 years, and he accomplished great things in those final months. With a glorious teaming of two old pals from college, his vision for this beautiful music was realized," Gary Sinise wrote. "Mac's inspiring parting gift to us. Thank you, Mac. You did it. Resurrection & Revival will live on. And so will you. In our hearts forever."

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New National World War I Memorial Is A Moving Tribute To Bravery, Sacrifice, And The Indomitable American Spirit

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