McCanna Anthony “Mac” Sinise, a musician and son of actor Gary Sinise, died on Jan. 5 following a battle with a rare spinal cancer called Chordoma. He was 33.
The CSI: NY actor shared the news of his son’s death on his Instagram and his foundation’s website Tuesday, where he wrote a heartfelt tribute.
“The week the album [Resurrection & Revival] went to press, Mac lost his battle with cancer,” Gary wrote. “He died on January 5, 2024 at 3:25pm, and was laid to rest on January 23rd. 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. … I am so blessed, fortunate, and proud to be his dad.”
Mac was diagnosed with Chordoma in August 2018, just two months after Gary’s wife Moira was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. After months of treatment, the Forrest Gump actor said Moira went into remission and has been cancer-free since, but even after several surgeries, his son’s cancer continued to spread.
“This began a long battle that disabled him more and more as time went on,” Gary wrote. “The cancer fight was getting harder, but throughout most of 2019 he was still able to come to the GSF [Gary Sinise Foundation] office, until a third spine surgery in November of that year.”
Mac had a passion for music from a young age, learning to play the drums at 9 years old. He later graduated from the USC Thornton School of Music, where he studied songwriting and composition. He also played piano and harmonica, and occasionally served as drummer in Gary’s band the Lt. Dan Band.
The Apollo 13 actor said cancer eventually paralyzed his son from the chest down, but that didn’t stop him from wanting to create music. Mac ended up working on an original composition, “Arctic Circles,” thanks to help from fellow musicians Dan Myers, Ben Lewis, Oliver Schnee and Bill Schnee, as well as playing harmonica on a recording of “Shenandoah.”
The collaboration eventually expanded to an entire album titled Resurrection & Revival, which had a “theme of bringing something that was old or unfinished back to life.” The album also featured members from the Lt. Dan Band.
“He gave his family and friends so much during his 33 years, and he accomplished great things in those final months,” Gary Sinise added in his tribute. “Thank you, Mac. You did it. Resurrection & Revival will live on. And so will you. In our hearts forever. We were blessed to have you in our lives as son, brother, and friend…and we will miss you and love you for eternity.
Gary Sinise said Mac Sinise: Resurrection and Revival will be available soon.
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