'CSI: NY' Star Gary Sinise's Son McCanna Dead at 33
The actor said his son, McCanna Anthony "Mac" Sinise, passed away in January following "an uphill battle against" a rare form of cancer called chordoma.
Gary Sinise's son, McCanna Anthony "Mac" Sinise, has died. The CSI: NY star shared news of his son's passing in a statement shared to the Gary Sinise Foundation's website and his Instagram page, revealing the tragic news that Mac died on Jan. 5 following a five-and-a-half year battle with a rare form of cancer called Chordoma. He was 33.
"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," Sinise wrote. "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."
According to Sinise, Mac was diagnosed with the "very rare cancer," which originates in the spine and affects around 300 people in the U.S. each year, on August 8, 2018, just two months after Sinise's wife, Moira Harris, received a stage three breast cancer diagnosis. While Moira went into remission and has remained cancer-free, Mac's cancer returned and spread after he underwent several surgeries as well as radiation and chemotherapy.
"This began a long battle that disabled him more and more as time went on," Gary Sinise wrote. "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."
Mac ultimately underwent five spinal surgeries, and in 2023, he was paralyzed from the chest down, the Forrest Gump star said. Despite his worsening health, Mac learned to play the harmonica and, along with other collaborators, created an album titled Resurrection & Revival.
"The week the album went to press, Mac lost his battle with cancer. He died on January 5, 2024 at 3:25pm, and was laid to rest on January 23rd," Sinise wrote. "Thank you, Mac. You did it. Resurrection & Revival will live on. And so will you. In our hearts forever."
Sinise wrote that his son "gave his family and friends so much during his 33 years, and he accomplished great things in those final months," concluding the post, "We were blessed to have you in our lives as son, brother, and friend...and we will miss you and love you for eternity."