When confirming Mac's passing, the 'Forrest Gump' actor reveals that his 33-year-old son was diagnosed with a 'very rare cancer' known as Chordoma on August 8, 2018.
- Feb 27, 2024
AceShowbiz - Gary Sinise has been left "heartbroken" by the passing of his son McCanna Anthony. The "Forrest Gump" actor confirmed in a statement shared on Gary Sinise Foundation's website that his 33-year-old child died from cancer on January 5.
In a lengthy message posted on Tuesday, February 27, the 68-year-old first revealed that Mac was diagnosed with a "very rare cancer" known as Chordoma on August 8, 2018. He added of the disease, "Originating in the spine, Chordoma affects, on average, only 300 people in the U.S. per year."
Gary said Mac's diagnosis came just months after his wife Moira Harris was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer. While Moira went into remission and has remained cancer-free following treatment, the theatre director noted that Mac's disease spread over time and "disabled him more and more as time went on."
Gary claimed Mac underwent five separate spine surgeries between 2018 and 2020 and grew paralyzed from the chest down due to the disease's effects on his body. Despite these limitations, Mac, who was a graduate of the University of Southern California, created an album titled "Resurrection & Revival" with several collaborators. The Primetime Emmy Award winner stated that his son died the same week the album went to press.
"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," Gary lamented. "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. Over the years I have met so many families of our fallen heroes. It's heartbreaking, and it's just damn hard."
"Our family's cancer fight lasted for 5 ½ years, and it became more and more challenging as time went on. 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 continued. "He fought an uphill battle against a cancer that has no cure, but he never quit trying."
