Actor Gary Sinise, best known for his work in ‘Forrest Gump,’ ‘Of Mice and Men,’ ‘The Green Mile,’ and ‘Apollo 13,’ to name a few, is also well known for his philanthropic efforts. In 2009, when he met with war veteran Brendan Marrocco, everything changed for his foundation. Marrocco became one of the first people to benefit from a smart-fitted home funded by Sinise’s non-profit foundation.
In 2009, Gary Sinise met with war veteran Brendan Marrocco
Sinise often met with wounded soldiers and veterans across the country. He met Marrocco soon after Marrocco returned from his injury, which left him with a quadruple amputation in 2009. Morocco had been admitted to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center at the time of their meeting. This visit with the veteran inspired one of the biggest projects he funded through his nonprofit organisation. Sinise himself played the role of Vietnam veteran Lt. Dan in the film ‘Forrest Gump’ alongside Tom Hanks and often gave back to the community through his foundation.
How the smart home project came to be after Gary Sinise met with Brendan Marrocco
Initially, the project started after firefighters from the FDNY approached the actor to help raise funds for an accessible home for Marrocco on Staten Island, his hometown. Sinise then organised benefit concerts with his musical group, Lt. Dan Band, to fund the construction of a customised home specially tailored to Marrocco’s needs.In 2011, inspired by building the smart home for the veteran, the ‘Apollo 13’ actor started his own foundation, the Gary Sinise Foundation, aimed at helping war veterans with smart homes catered to their needs. Finally, under the R.I.S.E. Program (Restoring Independence Supporting Empowerment), the foundation started designing and constructing 100% mortgage-free, custom-built “smart homes” for severely wounded veterans. These houses featured hands-free automation, lowered countertops, voice-activated controls, and oversized roll-in showers for injured service members.
More about Brendan Marrocco’s smart home
The property was specially built for Marrocco’s needs after he became one of the first war veterans from Iraq to survive a quadruple amputation. The property, which became the first of many, had specially widened hallways, custom lifts, adaptive appliances, and hands-free controls. Along with that, the home also had lower counters for easy access and featured a number of other amenities aimed at helping Marrocco regain his independence.According to the foundation’s official website, they have built over 100 homes since their inception in 2011. Other than this, the actor has continued to help veterans across the country. Last year, according to a report shared online by the Associated Press, the actor invested USD 1 million as a contribution to help turn a former Nashville church into an arts center for war veterans.
