Tim McGraw ‘Honored’ to Be Receiving Tom Hanks Caregiver Champion Award

Tim McGraw will be honored for his support of military and veteran caregivers this week, with the country star to receive the Tom Hanks Caregiver Champion Award from the Elizabeth Dole Foundation on Oct. 20. On Monday, McGraw used Instagram to reflect on the award, sharing that he learned about the caregiving community from taking care of his late father, Tug McGraw, who died of brain cancer in 2004.

“Honored to be receiving the Tom Hanks Caregiver Champion Award at this year’s @elizabethdolefoundation 3rd Annual Heroes and History Makers Gala,” he wrote. “I learned so much from taking care of my father about the caregiving community #hiddenheroes and all they do for our loved ones!!” Before his death, Tug created the Tug McGraw Foundation, which aims to improve the quality of life for children and adults with debilitating neurological brain conditions like brain tumors, traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder. McGraw currently serves as the Honorary Chair of the foundation, which has helped numerous veterans and caregivers.

McGraw is the third recipient of the award — the inaugural honor went to its namesake, Tom Hanks, who is the Hidden Heroes Campaign Co-chair, followed by former First Lady Michelle Obama. The Tug McGraw Foundation is a partner of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation.

“We are thrilled to honor Tim McGraw this year,” Steve Schwab, CEO of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, said in a statement, via Sounds Like Nashville. “He understands from both his personal experiences, and his support of other caregivers, exactly what our military and veteran caregivers go through on a daily basis. Inspired by what he learned from caring for his father, Tim has used his platform as one of our nation’s top entertainers to help the military community find resources for invisible injuries. This continues to be a critical need for caregivers, and an important component of our work at the Elizabeth Dole Foundation.”

McGraw will receive the honor on Tuesday night during the Elizabeth Dole Foundation’s third annual Heroes and History Makers event, a virtual event that will begin at 8 p.m. ET. The event will be hosted by Senators Elizabeth and Bob Dole, and will include appearances by Hanks and Today show host Savannah Guthrie. Adam Driver, Darius Rucker, Hilary Swank, Jocko Sims, Nico Santos and more will narrate caregiver stories. You can register to virtually attend and find streaming details for the event here.