Actor Gary Sinise gave over 1700 people that have lost a loved one in military service a magical Christmas gift this year. He sent them all to the most magical place on Earth! These Gold Star families boarded 12 American Airlines chartered planes on Saturday, December 8th and headed for Walt Disney World. Thanks to Sinise’s Snowball Express foundation, these families will spend a magical week in Disney, all expenses paid!

Over 1000 Gold Star Children travel w/ surviving parent, 1,750 in all, via @americanair to Disney World today as part of our @GarySiniseFound Snowball Express program. This charter left LAX this morning. I’ll join up in a few days. Have fun kids! We love you! pic.twitter.com/OfMEpVF1er

— Gary Sinise (@GarySinise) December 8, 2018

Snowball Express

The Snowball Express became an official Gary Sinise Foundation program in 2017, serving the children of fallen military heroes. It provides fun, community-driven events and beneficial resources all year long. With the holidays being an especially challenging time for grieving families, Snowball Express hosts a week long experience for them each year. This year, families from 26 cities are spending that week at the Walt Disney World Resort.

Star Spangled Send Off

Travelers at Nashville International Airport sent some of those families off with patriotic well wishes. They all sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” as the families boarded their flight. This video, taken by Jen Tringale, shows the heartwarming scene.

“I witnessed an international airport come to a complete stop today … At the Nashville airport I walked out into the concourse to this scene @americanairlines was flying a plane full of children who had lost a parent in combat to Disneyworld on an all expenses paid trip and they threw a party for them at the gate❤️But when they announced them over the loud speaker and they lined up to board the plane the whole airport literally stopped and sang the national anthem with military present in salute. Most every person standing around, myself included was bawling at the sight of these kids and spouses who have paid so great a price for our country. To see all of this at Christmas time was so humbling. Seeing the general public in an airport stand still to honor these kids was simply beauitful. @bna_airport #nashville #fallenwarriors Gary Sinise Foundation #america #snowballexpress #christmas Garysinise”

We wish all of these families a magical trip to Disney and a very Merry Christmas. To Gary Sinise, we cannot say thank you enough for this amazing act of love and kindness!!

Source Credit: Gary Sinise Foundation

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