Gary Sinise stepped away from Hollywood to focus on his family’s health.

Sinise told Fox News Digital that he left Los Angeles in 2021 because several members of his family were battling cancer, including his son and wife.

“I was fighting cancer during that time,” Sinise said.

ACTOR GARY SINISE’S SON DIES AFTER BATTLE WITH RARE FORM OF CANCER

Actor Gary Sinise told Fox News Digital why he left Hollywood for Nashville after both his son and wife were diagnosed with cancer. (Getty Images/Bob Riha Jr.)

Sinise, who released his son’s posthumous album “Resurrection & Revival: Part 2,” previously told Fox News that his move to Nashville was also motivated by not having to payment of state income tax in Tennessee and having his band, Lt. Dan Band, in the area.

Famous for his role as Lt. Dan from “Forrest Gump,” Sinise explained in a new interview that he put his acting career on hold in 2019 because he had to stop traveling away from his family while their lives were in danger.

WATCH: GARY SINISE EXPLAINS WHY HE LEFT LA LA NASHVILLE

“My wife had been diagnosed with breast cancer. My son was diagnosed with this very rare cancer… within two months of each other. My father had just had a stroke and my mother was alone and I had to… take care of her. .. I kind of had my hands full.”

While Sinise’s wife went into remission and is now cancer-free, he shared that his son’s battle with cancer was “especially difficult” because he was fighting for his life. Sinise’s son was diagnosed with cancer in 2018.

ACTOR GARY SINISE REMEMBERS SON’S LAST DAYS: ‘He Was HAPPY AT THE END OF HIS LIFE’

Sinise’s wife Moira Harris went into remission and is now cancer free. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

“Our son was fighting this cancer without any treatment,” Sinise continued emotionally. “Trying to find medicine and doctors or someone who could do anything for him was like a full-time job. In addition, he became more and more disabled by cancer as time went on… He needed more and more care.’

Earlier this year, his son, McCanna “Mac” Sinise, died of a rare form of cancer called chordoma. He was 33 years old.

Chordoma is a cancer that originates in the spine and affects an average of only 300 people in the U.S. each year, Sinise, founder of the Gary Sinise Foundation, wrote on the charity’s website at the time.

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Sinise told Fox News Digital that while the family was deeply affected by their son’s death, Mac was “happy at the end of his life.”

“I will say this about Mac and the album he made last year… he accomplished something he set out to do, which was to record all this music in May and make a full album out of it… which it gave me a lot of joy…just watching him enjoy those moments.”

Sinise told Fox News Digital how important it was to him to fulfill his son’s final wish to release his music. “Resurrection & Revival: Part 2” began shipping on November 10, on what would have been Mac’s 34th birthday, to fans who pre-ordered the album.

Sinise said it was important to him to fulfill his son’s final wish to release his music. (Gary Sinise Instagram)

“This was a real labor of very deep love. Because a lot of this music, I wasn’t even aware he had until I discovered it in his… files.”

A graduate of the USC Thorton School of Music, Mac had a passion for drums, composition and songwriting. However, his disability prevented him from continuing to play drums or piano.

SEE: GARY SINISE DISCOVERED DEFECTIVE SON’S UNRELEASED MUSIC AFTER HIS DEATH

The father-son musical duo performed together several times before Mac’s death. Sinise reflected on the special moments with Fox News Digital.

“He’s just an exceptional drummer. He’s very solid, so solid, and he was always so much fun to play with … he just had a natural talent.”

Sinise reminisced about the “beautiful” music his late son created for his charity, the Gary Sinise Foundation. Before his death, Mac worked on music projects for documentaries and films.

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Gary and his son, Mac Sinise. Gary’s son has died after a battle with a rare form of cancer. (Gary Sinise Foundation)

“I just started listening to these things that he had written for the film and I was really, really moved by them,” he said. “I started to discover all this music that he wrote and hid, that I never knew about … that he never told me about.”

In addition to creating music, Mac served as Assistant Director of Education and Outreach at the Gary Sinise Foundation. In 2020, he stepped down to focus on rehabilitation and recovery while preparing for his fifth spine surgery.

The Gary Sinise Foundation is dedicated to helping veterans and first responders they need by creating unique programs designed to educate, strengthen and build communities.

Actor and musician Gary Sinise from Lt. Dan Band performs in a Salute to the Troops. (David Becker/Getty Images)

Before creating his Sinise charity in 2011worked on several films and television series, including “Forrest Gump”.

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As the iconic Tom Hanks-starrer celebrated its 30th anniversary, Sinise reflected on his character, Lt. Dan, and what was it like to be part of the film?

“Every time I’ve been on set, it’s been fun, hard work,” he noted. “Some of it was quite emotional and difficult at times. But you always felt like you were doing something pretty good.”

Gary Sinise, Tom Hanks and Mykelti Williamson star in 1994’s Forrest Gump. (Sunset Boulevard/Getty Images)

“Did we know it was going to be…a big classic? I don’t think any of us thought about it, but after…the movie…was accepted by the public…it became such a big hit.”

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Since its release in 1994, “Forrest Gump” has taken home six Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Director, Best Visual Effects, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best good film editing.

Sinise added that he has kept in touch with cast members, including Mykelti Williamson, who played Benjamin Buford “Bubba” Blue, Gump’s best friend in the film.

“Forrest Gump” co-stars Mykelti Williamson, left, Gary Sinise and Tom Hanks pose with the award they won at the 21st annual People’s Choice Awards at Universal City Studios. (Vince Bucci/AFP via Getty Images)

“Mykelti Williamson I’m in touch with. We’ve stayed friends all these years…we played golf all the time…and we’ve become really good friends.”

Sinise’s band, Lt. Dan Band, was inspired by his character “Forrest Gump”. He explained that he named his band after his role since he started touring overseas bands for his foundation.

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