‘CSI’ Star Gary Sinise’s Son Was Paralyzed from Chest Down Yet Kept Doing His One Favorite Thing

Gary Sinise’s son, Mac Sinise, died at the age of 33 after a long illness with a rare cancer. The Gary Sinise Foundation published a tribute announcing that Mac passed away on January 6, 2024.

Mac was laid to rest on January 23, 2024. Gary told how his son courageously fought a tough battle with incurable cancer. The “CSI: New York” star is very proud, blessed and blessed to be Mac’s father.

In a lengthy and emotional tribute, Gary opened up about Mac’s life. He revealed that his son has been playing drums since he was 9 years old. An accomplished drummer, Mac will replace Gary’s drummer, Danny Gottlieb. He will play drums on “CSI: New York.” Rap party with Trung Dan band.

He sweetly recalls: “It was a wonderful time, father and son were in the army together.” However, Gary’s family was rocked when mother and son were diagnosed with cancer just a few months apart.

The summer of 2018 posed significant challenges for Gary’s family. In June of that year, his wife Moira Harris was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. After lymph node surgery, she began treatment with chemotherapy and radiation.

Gary researched online and discovered that Chordoma, a type of cancer that originates in the spine, is extremely rare, affecting about 300 people in the United States each year.

He also learned that while 70% of cases allow for successful removal of the initial tumor and subsequent treatment, the remaining 30% face the risk of cancer recurrence, posing a difficult challenge for his family.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Gary recounted how Mac, in 2023, despite his health challenges, found inspiration to revisit a piece of music called “Arctic Circles” that he had composed during his college years but never completed. Mac dubbed his piece “Arctic Circles” as a nod to the wintery nature documentaries that brought him solace during his hospital stays.

He either worked from his hospital bed at home or in his wheelchair. With a stylus attached to his right hand and a small keyboard on his hospital bed table, Mac found ways to input ideas and refine his music, demonstrating his resilience and determination.

Impressed, Oliver agreed to help finish it, and they began collaborating. After exchanging notes and fine-tuning, Oliver completed a stunning arrangement. Mac chose July 17, 2023, for the recording session, coinciding with his sister Sophie’s visit.

Mac continued pursuing his love for music as he battled cancer. However, with drumming no longer an option, his mother recommended he try the harmonica. Embracing the suggestion, Mac began teaching himself to play.

Gary was impressed by Mac’s rendition, so, he proposed the idea of arranging strings to accompany him. Since Oliver was already orchestrating “Arctic Circles,” Gary thought it made sense to include “Shenandoah” as well.

Mac was excited to share the album with the world but he couldn’t as the week the album went to press, he departed from this world. Mac celebrated his last birthday during a recording session at Blackbird Studios.

Until Gary’Sinise’s sit-down interview with Raymond Arroyo on December 29, 2023, the actor had not publicly addressed Mac’s uphill battle.

Sadly, on December 30, 2023, the day after Gary’s interview with Raymond, Mac was rushed to the emergency room due to difficulty breathing. Although he was stable, he was still admitted to the hospital. Gary remained by his side, hoping to stay as usual and return home.

Gary’s family expressed their gratitude to everyone who provided help, love and support during their trying time. They thanked Mac’s caregivers, Mimi and Lulu. The family also noted that Mac was known to have a deep devotion to the Catholic faith.

Although Mac’s family mourns his absence, they find solace in knowing that he is now free from suffering. They were inspired and moved by his remarkable resilience throughout the ordeal, especially because Mac always focused on what he could do and never on what he couldn’t. can.

Like a soldier enduring endless bombardment on the battlefield, Mac continuously stood up after each defeat, refused to surrender and moved forward. Now, with his passing, the family who loved and missed him is extremely comforted when their loved one is no longer in pain.