Gary Sinise is an Actor-Humanitarian, and Founder of the Gary Sinise Foundation. Sinise’s career began at 18, when he co-founded Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Twenty years later, his performance as Lt. Dan Taylor in Forrest Gump received nominations for Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild Awards, and Academy Awards. He also earned the Best Supporting Actor Award from the National Board of Review and the Commander’s Award from the Disabled American Veterans.
For nearly 40 years, Sinise has been an advocate for America’s service members. He served as the national spokesperson for the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial. He raised funds for the Pentagon 9/11 Memorial in Washington, D.C., and the Brooklyn Wall of Remembrance in NYC.
In 2011, he established the Gary Sinise Foundation to serve and honor America’s defenders, veterans, first responders, Gold Star families, and those in need.
Sinise has many distinguished honors. These include the Presidential Citizens Medal, two awards from the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, and the Bob Hope Award for Excellence in Entertainment. He also received the Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s Patriot Award, the Spirit of the USO Award, the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, and the Spirit of Hope Award from the U.S. Department of Defense. Additional honors are the Sylvanus Thayer Award from the West Point Association of Graduates and the George C. Marshall Medal from the Association of the U.S. Army.
Sinise was named Honorary Chief Petty Officer by the U.S. Navy, Honorary Marine by the U.S. Marine Corps, and Honorary Battalion Chief of the New York Fire Department.
In 2019, his autobiography Grateful American: A Journey from Self to Service was released and became an immediate New York Times bestseller.