Actor Gary Sinise Took Over 1,750 Children of Fallen Soldiers to Disney World for Free

 

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You might recognize actor Gary Sinise from movies such as Forest Gump and The Green Mile, but the celebrity has another passion: honoring and helping U.S. military veterans and their families. He founded the Gary Sinise Foundation in 2011, a charity that creates unique programs designed to “entertain, educate, inspire, strengthen, and build communities.” One of those programs is Snowball Express, a special initiative that provides free trips for children of fallen soldiers.

For the 2018 Snowball Express trip, Sinise generously took over 1,750 kids and their surviving parents to Disney World in Orlando, Florida for a magical, 5-night trip. In partnership with American Airlines, over 14 aircrafts were needed to safely transport the 600+ families who attended the event. “Close to 1,000 American Airlines team members volunteered their time to make this year’s Snowball Express a meaningful event for Gold Star families,” reveals Sinise on Instagram. “At Snowball, participants were able to not only visit Walt Disney World but were also provided with free counseling services, mentoring, education, and entertainment.”

While the deserving kids had plenty of fun, they also had a chance to honor their family members who died during combat. Each child wore a “we remember” pin and 600 flags were lined up to represent each of their lost loved ones. “The most important thing about [Snowball Express] is that these children don’t feel alone,” says Sinise. “There’s a lot of healing and a lot of bonding and a lot of friendship that goes on that helps them through the rest of the year.”

You can find out more about the Snowball Express program on the Gary Sinise Foundation website.

Actor Gary Sinise recently took over 1,750 kids of fallen heroes to Disney World in Orlando, Florida for a magical, 5-night trip.

 

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A post shared by Gary Sinise Foundation (@garysinisefoundation) on

The generous actor founded the Gary Sinise Foundation, a charity that creates unique programs designed to help U.S. military veterans and their families.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Gary Sinise Foundation (@garysinisefoundation) on

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Gary Sinise Foundation (@garysinisefoundation) on

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Gary Sinise Foundation (@garysinisefoundation) on

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Gary Sinise Foundation (@garysinisefoundation) on

Gary Sinise Foundation: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube
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All images via Gary Sinise Foundation.

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Emma Taggart

Emma Taggart is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met. Originally from Northern Ireland, she is an artist now based in Berlin. After graduating with a BA in Fashion and Textile Design in 2013, Emma decided to combine her love of art with her passion for writing. Emma has contributed to various art and culture publications, with an aim to promote and share the work of inspiring modern creatives. While she writes every day, she’s also devoted to her own creative outlet—Emma hand-draws illustrations and is currently learning 2D animation.
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