Gary Sinise is opening up about his decision to step back from Hollywood, explaining that his choice to take a break from acting in 2019 was heavily influenced by personal challenges. In an interview with Fox News, the 69-year-old actor shared that during this time, both his wife and son were battling cancer.
Sinise’s son, McCanna Anthony “Mac” Sinise, tragically passed away in January at the age of 33 after being diagnosed with Chordoma, a rare spinal cancer. Simultaneously, his wife, Moira Harris, was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Reflecting on the overwhelming period, Sinise recalled, “We were in the cancer fight during that time. My wife had been diagnosed with breast cancer, and my son was diagnosed with this very rare cancer within two months of each other.”
Sinise also faced additional family responsibilities, as his father had suffered a stroke, and his mother required care. “I kind of had my hands full,” Sinise said.
The actor described his son’s battle with cancer as particularly heartbreaking, noting that Mac’s condition was difficult due to the lack of a cure. “Trying to find drugs and doctors… it was like a full-time job,” Sinise said. As his son’s condition worsened, Mac required increasing levels of care.
While Harris, 70, eventually went into remission and was declared cancer-free, Sinise shared the immense difficulty he and his wife faced in watching their son fight cancer “until he finally just couldn’t fight it anymore.”
Following Mac’s death, the Gary Sinise Foundation released a statement expressing the family’s sorrow: “As parents, it is so difficult losing a child. My heart goes out to all who have suffered a similar loss,” the statement read.
Sinise’s last acting credits were in 2020, when he appeared as Dr. Robert Ellman in 13 Reasons Why and Sheriff Westin in Joe Bell.