Gary Sinise is speaking out about his choice to step back from Hollywood. The 69-year-old Oscar-nominated actor disclosed that he left Los Angeles in 2021 after several family members faced cancer battles. “We were deeply involved in the cancer fight during that period,” Sinise told Fox News Digital on Thursday. “Being away from the family was not an option given our circumstances. My wife [Moira Harris] was diagnosed with breast cancer, and my son was diagnosed with a very rare form of cancer just two months apart.”

The “Forrest Gump” star had earlier shared that his son, McCanna Anthony “Mac” Sinise, was diagnosed in August 2018 with Chordoma, a rare cancer that develops in the spine or at the base of the skull, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Tragically, Mac passed away earlier this year at the age of 33.

Just months before his son’s diagnosis, Harris, 70, was fighting stage 3 breast cancer. “The battle with Mac’s cancer was particularly arduous because he was… confronting this cancer with no known cure,” Sinise confided to the outlet. “Searching for treatments and doctors, and anyone who could offer help, felt like a full-time job.”

The “CSI: NY” star added, “Moreover, he became increasingly disabled by the cancer over time and required more and more care.” During this period, Sinise’s father had also suffered a stroke, and he had to care for his mother, who was alone at the time. “I was quite overwhelmed,” he recounted.

Harris, who married Sinise in 1981, is now in remission and cancer-free. However, Sinise explained that it was “painful” to witness his son’s struggle with cancer “until he could no longer fight it.” “As parents, losing a child is incredibly difficult,” he reflected. “My heart aches for all who have endured a similar loss, and for anyone who has lost a loved one. We’ve all faced it in some form.”

Sinise told Fox News that Mac “was content at the end of his life,” noting that he “accomplished something he had set out to do, which was to record all his music and produce a full album.” “That brought me a lot of joy, seeing him enjoy those moments,” Sinise shared.

Sinise announced his son’s passing on January 5 on the Gary Sinise Foundation’s website, revealing that Mac was laid to rest on January 23. He also took the opportunity to express his grief. “Like any family experiencing such a loss, we are heartbroken and doing our best to cope,” he wrote. “As parents, losing a child is incredibly difficult. My heart aches for all who have endured a similar loss, and for anyone who has lost a loved one. We’ve all faced it in some form. Over the years, I have met so many families of our fallen heroes. It’s heartbreaking, and it’s just damn hard,” Sinise continued. “Our family’s cancer battle lasted for 5 ½ years, becoming increasingly challenging over time. While our hearts ache at his absence, we are comforted knowing Mac is no longer suffering and inspired by how he handled it.”

“He waged a relentless fight against a cancer with no cure, but he never gave up.” Sinise said he shared his story because he and his family “hope to shed some light on what has been a difficult period.” “Mac was truly a beacon of light for all of us,” he added.

Sinise and Harris are also parents to daughters Sophie and Ella. Besides “Forrest Gump,” Sinise, who has won an Emmy, a Golden Globe, and a Tony, is also known for his roles in “Apollo 13” and “The Green Mile.”

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