Actor Gary Sinise, with the help of his Gary Sinise Foundation, made over 1000 Gold Star Children very happy last weekend. The actor, who starred as "Lieutenant Dan" alongside Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump in 1994, teamed up with American Airlines and sent the children of fallen soldiers to Walt Disney World in Florida with the surviving parent or guardian at their side. His foundation paid for all expenses.
The Gary Sinise Foundation organizes the 'Snowball Express'
The trip is part of the Gary Sinise Foundation's 'Snowball Express' program, that organizes trips for families who have lost members in the military. Sinise's commitment to helping the Gold Star Families started in 2006 with a letter written by a fallen soldier - there were instructions only to open it in case he died. In it, he told of his wish for his family to go to Disneyland.
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With that, the idea for the trip was born, and the 14th 'Snowball Express' took off this past weekend.
The "gentle giant" passed away suddenly in 2012...
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He also voiced the young "Simba" in 'The Lion King'!
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