Gary Sinise & Kellie PIckler talk Lt. Dan role in "Forrest Gump"

Gary Sinise has been a champion for our veterans for over 25 years. Sinise was supportive of veterans of his entire life due to the many who served in his family, but his support escalated to a grander scale after portraying Lt. Dan in “Forrest Gump”. That pivotal role changed his life and gave him more than he ever could have imagined.

In an interview on “Pickler and Ben”, Sinise explained how the Lt. Dan role transformed him. At the time, Sinise hadn’t been in many movies and “Forrest Gump” changed everything for him. He was thrilled to even audition for the role as he wanted to play a role of a Vietnam Veteran.

Lt. Dan Was One Of Sinise’s First Movie Roles

The 1995 Best Picture winner, “Forrest Gump”, changed the course of Gary Sinise’s acting career. And also began his relationship with the Disabled American Veterans Association.

Sinise said Lt. Dan’s story is one that we want for all injured veterans who return from war. The wounded Vietnam Vet ended up thriving by the end of the movie. And that’s what Sinise wants for all of America’s veterans.

“They wanted to present me with an award for playing what they considered a catastrophically injured veteran in a positive way” Sinise told Kellie Pickler and Ben Aaron.

Rather than making this award about himself, Sinise used it to promote Veterans causes. That now is his life mission.

The Gary Sinise Foundation was created to help raise money and awareness to help our veterans and those in who work in safety services. His never-ending contribution to help our warriors has inspired many others to do this same.

RELATED: Actor Gary Sinise Expands His Veterans Advocacy To Help K-9 Heroes Too

You can hear Sinise explain how transformative the role of Lt. Dan was in his life by watching the video below.

Gary Sinise Foundation’s Snowball Express For Gold Star Families

Sinise’s charitable work focuses not just veterans, but also their families.

His Snowball Express takes the families of fallen soldiers to Disney World on an all expenses paid trip. These children carry such burdens after losing a parent.

This trip allows them to put their cares on hold as they bond with other Gold Star children at the Most Magical Place On Earth.

RELATED: Gary Sinise Hopes to Give Families of Fallen Soldiers Some Joy at Disney World

Playing the role of Lt. Dan didn’t just affect Sinise’s life. It trickled down to countless people by positively impacting thousands of veterans and their families. In addition, Sinise and his charitable work has propelled many of us to increase our support of veterans.

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