Many of us know actor Gary Sinise for his iconic role as Lieutenant Dan in Forrest Gump. However, many disabled service members in real life know him in an even more compelling light. Recently, Senise opened up about playing the supporting character in the 1994 film. He says that it gave him a better way to connect with those injured in the line of duty. Lieutenant Dan’s happy ending despite his disability offered hope to so many!

“I remember walking in to the hospitals for the first time, meeting service members who had been blown up, missing their legs, just like Lieutenant Dan,” recalled Gary Sinise. “They just wanted to talk about the movie, and I realized, ‘Ok, now that’s a way that I can communicate with our service members. They want to talk about the positive story of Lieutenant Dan.’”

While Sinise had always done his part to support veterans, his role in Forrest Gump inspired him to do more. In 2011, the actor founded the Gary Sinise Foundation, dedicated to helping wounded veterans and service members through various programs.

“While we can never do enough for our defenders and their loved ones, we can always do a little more,” the organization’s mission statement reads.

It’s amazing to see how one role could have such a big influence in this actor’s life! Kudos to Gary Sinise for making a difference in the lives of veterans and service members.