Gary Sinise Brings the Lt. Dan Band to Breezy

By Katie McFadden

“We all have a destiny: nothing just happens, it’s all part of a plan,” character Lieutenant Dan Taylor told Forrest Gump in the classic 1994 film. On Friday, July 11, Lt. Dan found his sea legs as the plan was to play for a packed crowd of veterans, first responders and neighbors in Breezy Point. Actor Gary Sinise and his Lt. Dan Band made an epic impact on Rockaway Warrior Weekend.

Sinise, a longtime actor, best known for his role as Lt. Dan, has also been a longtime philanthropist. Like many, Sinise was deeply affected by the events of 9/11. And since 2003, he’s been doing what he does best—entertaining—troops and first responders near and far through visits and music, with his Lt. Dan Band. Along the way, Sinise heard about Hope for the Warriors from his dear friend, late FDNY captain John Vigiano Sr. Vigiano’s sons followed in his footsteps into service and were both killed while responding to the attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.

“It was John who I met over 20 years ago on a trip to Iraq. He got involved with Hope for the Warriors and then I came and started doing events for them. But it was John Vigiano, my dear friend, God rest his soul, who introduced me to Hope for the Warriors. They do great work, they’re great people. I love them all,” Sinise told The Rockaway Times about how he got involved with the organization that Rockaway Warriors Weekend hosts each summer.

For several years, Sinise has supported the weekend through his Gary Sinise Foundation, by covering the costs for the hotel near JFK Airport, where the warriors stay while enjoying Rockaway Warriors Weekend. But this one was the first one he was a part of. In past years, a cardboard cutout affectionately called “Flat Gary,” has been a part of the weekend, but on Friday, the warriors, volunteers and neighbors were treated to the real deal with a concert at the Breezy Point Ballfield.

“I’ve been wanting to come here and been hearing about the event for a long time, and I have so many friends that are involved in it,” Sinise said. “We’ve been talking about coming out here for a long time. I think last year I was almost gonna make it out here. I saw some of the guys involved at an event earlier in the year and said let’s make it work,” Sinise said.

The concert was a highlight that many of the veterans were looking forward to. “Gary Sinise played Lieutenant Dan! That’s what I’m most excited for,” U.S. Marine Corps veteran Cliff Burgos said. “We’ve taken pictures with Flat Gary before, but he’ll be singing out here on stage and it’ll be good for my kids, so I’m looking forward to that,” U.S. Marine Corps veteran Jamie Slife said. “I appreciate what he does for the veterans.”

Some were so excited about it, that they got fully into the experience, like U.S. Army veteran Jason Wheeler, who like Lt. Dan, lost both legs, and dressed head to toe like the character for the concert, while his wife, Kristi dressed like Jenny from “Forrest Gump.” Also in attendance for the concert, coming as a special guest of local U.S. Army veteran Brian Galarza, was WWII U.S. Navy veteran Arthur Grabiner. Although in a wheelchair and turning 100 at the end of this year, Grabiner was right at the front of the stage, dancing to the songs of the Lt. Dan Band, in between guests shaking his hand and thanking him for his service.

The Lt. Dan Band, which has as many as 15 band members including Sinise on electric bass, played everything from “Shut Up and Dance” to Gloria Estefan’s “Conga,” which had a conga line dancing through the crowd, to Disney and Broadway hits, and more. About halfway through, Sinise held a special tribute to his late son, McCanna Anthony Sinise, also known as Mac, who died in January 2024 at age 23 after a five-year battle with cancer. Mac was a composer and musician, who through his cancer battle, created music, which Sinise turned into an album, which he released after his son died. Holding his heart, Sinise played some of the songs his late son had composed. The night ended with the full band playing “God Bless the USA” as the crowd sang along.

Sinise had arrived at JFK Airport just two hours before soundcheck, so he didn’t have much time to explore the neighborhood but was told by many of the ordeals Rockaway and Breezy Point went through with tragedies like 9/11 and Hurricane Sandy. “There’s a lot of sadness here, but out of that sadness, a lot of people have picked up the charge and done a lot of great things,” Sinise said. “Out of tragedy, we can arise from the ashes, and we can do good things and a lot of people were motivated by what happened on 9/11. I know I was. That thrust me into a whole level of service that I never thought I’d be involved in, but service can help heal broken hearts and it’s helped me and a lot of people I know.”

Sinise’s concerts, which he’s done about 600 of since 2003, are made possible through the Gary Sinise Foundation. “I don’t get paid to do this,” Sinise said. “The American people help me to provide the stage and pay the band members. I do it as a donation. Why would you do that if it isn’t meaningful, if you didn’t see that you were making an impact? I made an impact once in 2003 and all I did was show up. I decided to do that again, and then you do it again and see the impact that it’s made just by you showing up, and you keep doing it. I’ve met a lot of great people doing this and I hope the Gary Sinise Foundation stays a long time.”

To support the Gary Sinise Foundation, head to: www.garysinisefoundation.org

Photos by Katie McFadden.