One thing about Hollywood stars is that they are incredibly good in front of the camera.
Little do we know, some of them are even greater behind the camera.
Some of the known celebrity philanthropists are Dolly Parton, Angelina Jolie, Oprah Winfrey, Barbra Streisand, George & Amal Clooney, Meryl Streep, and many more.
Also on this list is Gary Sinise.
He became popular for his notable portrayal of Lieutenant Dan Taylor in the 1994 film “Forrest Gump. ”
Because of his performance in the movie, he earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
But apart from being good in front of the camera, Sinise is actually a greater man behind it.
It’s no secret to most people that he is hands-on with his philanthropic work, particularly his advocacy for veterans’ causes and support for military service members.
Sinise co-founded the Gary Sinise Foundation, a non-profit organization that focuses on honoring and assisting veterans, first responders, their families, and those in need.
Their foundation includes building smart homes for severely wounded veterans, offering educational programs, and organizing entertainment tours for military personnel that are stationed overseas.
The Gary Sinise Foundation raises $30 million every year.
In an interview with PEOPLE, Sinise talked about what they do in his foundation.
“If every person in every neighborhood around the country took a little bit of responsibility for patting these folks on the back, all the problems that we hear about with regards to veterans not getting services or falling through the cracks would disappear,” he said. “If citizens would look at their freedom providers in a little bit different way.”
Gary Sinise was affected by the Vietnam War during his youth.
He was just 10 years old when American troops were sent to Vietnam, and the war ended when he was 20.
Speaking about the impact of the Vietnam War, Sinise told PEOPLE…
“All during the Vietnam War, I was just a high school kid playing in bands and getting in trouble. I felt guilty that, when they were off at war, I was oblivious to what they were going through. I’ve just tried to give them something back.”
Sinise also mentioned that the September 11th attacks in 2001 motivated him even more to support America’s troops.
A group of influential individuals wanted to express their appreciation to Gary Sinise. Despite his charitable work supporting the military community, they decided to thank him.
Many celebrities and military personnel appeared in a video to honor Gary for his contributions to helping the troops.
Famous figures like Jay Leno conveyed their gratitude in the video:
“Every time I go to do a USO show, I always get ‘Hey Jay Leno, how you doing? You know who else is here?’ ‘Who?’ ‘Gary Sinise’ ‘Oh’ ‘In fact, he’s been here 3 times.'”
Ron Howard also praised Sinise’s dedication:
“Your commitment, your dedication, your effort, you are awesome.”
Rob Lowe thanked him for his support to soldiers:
“More than anything thank you for everything you do for our warriors.”
Tom Hanks, Sinise’s co-star in Forrest Gump, shared a special message:
“Thanks, Lieutenant Dan!”
Upon watching the video, Gary Sinise became emotional, visibly moved by the heartfelt messages of gratitude.
He felt truly touched by people’s genuine appreciation.
The word “grateful” best describes Sinise, which is reflected in the title of his 2019 book, “Grateful American: A Journey from Self to Service, by Gary Sinise.”
Get your tissues ready for this one. The video below is going to make your heart swell!
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