‘It was very special’: Gary Sinise describes the ‘heartwarming’ feeling of flying 1,722 Gold Star family members to Disney World for the holidays with his foundation that raises $30M annually for the heroes
Gary Sinise sent 1,722 gold star family members to Disney World this month
With Snowball Express Sinise helps military families heal after losing a loved one
The trip to Florida was sponsored by American Airlines which provided 14 planes
Sinise said: ‘Bringing all these kids together at the happiest place on earth was very, very special’
Forrest Gump star’s The Lt. Dan Band performs each year for the program
He said the annual event was ‘heartwarming’ and ‘heartbreaking’
By LEAH SIMPSON
DAILYMAIL.COM
25 December 2018
Gary Sinise said sending 1,722 gold star family members to ‘the happiest place on earth was very, very special’, following the success of his foundation’s holiday trip to Disney World this year.
The award-winning actor, 63, is known for his role as Lieutenant Dan Taylor in 1994 movie Forrest Gump but in real life he has dedicated decades to helping military relatives heal after losing a loved one in conflict zones.
Although he has worked with the Snowball Express Program for the past 11 years to travel with young people and their guardians, in 2018 he took things an extra step further with the pre-Christmas excursion to Florida sponsored by American Airlines.
‘You cannot underestimate the power of bringing all these kids together in a happy environment because we’re trying to bring joy to them right before the holidays, which is a difficult time for a child who’s lost a parent,’ he told The Hollywood Reporter.
‘So bringing all these kids together at the happiest place on earth was very, very special.
‘We have counseling, we have all kinds of communal activities that focus on the healing aspect of a gold star family member who’s grieving, but we also want to provide hope, happiness and joy.’
Over 14 aircraft safely transported participants from 80 cities across the country and approximately 1,000 American Airlines team members volunteered their time.
In total more than 600 families of fallen heroes got to participate in the trip that took place early December.
Sinise puts his famous movie character at the forefront of his charity work and his The Lt. Dan Band performs each year at the event for the holidays.
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