It’s unlikely that you’ve never watched a movie with actor Gary Sinise. His career has been so vast and encompassing that he’s played every role from policemen to soldiers, and even the villain in some franchises.

Even though Gary is most known for his part in Forrest Gump, his career has spanned over decades and he has played dozens of separate and significant roles.

You may think that acting is Gary’s true passion with a career that withstood the test of time, but it seems as if he actually has side projects that he is more passionate about than anything. Although he’s an actor by day, the talented working man actually does things for the betterment of society in his free time.

Gary, although known primarily for his acting roles, started the Gary Sinise Foundation that gives support to active military members, our veterans, as well as first responders and the families that accompany them.

Obviously, this is an admirable foundation for anyone to take part in. But Gary’s lead role and the hard work he does to help others makes him stand out from the crowd. In honor of his efforts, he was surprised with a tribute.

And once he got to see the tribute that was made in his honor, he was reduced to tears. The 63-year-old has also done some visits to troops that are stationed overseas. After he played Lieutenant Dan in Forrest Gump, it allowed him to create a stronger bond with veterans.

Lieutenant Dan was an injured soldier that helped him further understand the hardships that those serving in the military go through. He holds this character in a special place near to his heart because of these connections.

As Sinise’s new memoir is released, called “Grateful American,” other celebrities decided that it would be the perfect time to share a special message with him in order to thank him for his services that come from his foundation.

The celebrities included in the tribute were Tom Hanks, Ron Howard, and even Kristin Chenoweth, among many others. They also enlisted the help of some veterans to send their own special thank you messages to Sinise.

In perhaps one of the most touching messages of all, a family that received a house thanks to Sinise’s foundation sent a message from their property. Others are welcome to join in on the tributes for Sinise through the hashtag #GratefulLikeGary on social media. You can watch the tribute video below.

What do you think about Gary Sinise’s charity work? Have you ever supported a charity project yourself? Let us know in the comments and be sure to spread the word about Gary Sinise’s acts of kindness!