The Gary Sinise Foundation welcomed over 1,800 wives and children of military heroes who have died this past week to Disney World. When loved ones are mourning, the holidays may bring more hardship.
To honor the families of our nation's fallen warriors, Disney World holds the annual "Snowball Express" event every December for five days, thanks to the Gary Sinise Foundation.
"Over the course of 5 days, these deserving families were given the opportunity to make new memories, experience the magic of Disney World, and connect with the only people who truly understand the healing journey they are on...each other," said Sinise.
One component of the retreat was the planting of a memorial garden, where hundreds of American flags stood in honor of the fallen soldiers and the sacrifices they made.
As families made their way toward Cinderella's Castle, cast members lined the street to meet them with a hero's welcome during a "Walk of Gratitude" that took place at Magic Kingdom Park.
While on the trek, families would write heartfelt notes to their departed hero on scrolls. The offspring of those heroes would then ring bells to send those messages to their parents or grandparents. Additionally, Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band performed at an EPCOT event for the benefit of the families.
Rachel Lavana Alquaddomi expressed her inability to adequately convey the profound effect this had on the children. Snowball brought us together as a community and offered us hope at a very lonely time—loss. Through it, we were able to meet other surviving families, some of whom are now dear friends of ours. We deeply appreciate it! And the kids are still raving about how much fun it was!
Even though Sinise feels a heavy burden for the families involved, he expresses gratitude for the opportunity to hug and respect them. "It's always an honor to wrap my arms around them and remind them we do not forget their hero," added Sinise.
"As we approach the holiday season, I am so glad that we are able to bring these deserving families together to create new and wonderful memories at the most magical place on earth, Walt Disney World."
To honor the families of our nation's fallen warriors, Disney World holds the annual "Snowball Express" event every December for five days, thanks to the Gary Sinise Foundation.
"Over the course of 5 days, these deserving families were given the opportunity to make new memories, experience the magic of Disney World, and connect with the only people who truly understand the healing journey they are on...each other," said Sinise.
One component of the retreat was the planting of a memorial garden, where hundreds of American flags stood in honor of the fallen soldiers and the sacrifices they made.
As families made their way toward Cinderella's Castle, cast members lined the street to meet them with a hero's welcome during a "Walk of Gratitude" that took place at Magic Kingdom Park.
While on the trek, families would write heartfelt notes to their departed hero on scrolls. The offspring of those heroes would then ring bells to send those messages to their parents or grandparents. Additionally, Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band performed at an EPCOT event for the benefit of the families.
Rachel Lavana Alquaddomi expressed her inability to adequately convey the profound effect this had on the children. Snowball brought us together as a community and offered us hope at a very lonely time—loss. Through it, we were able to meet other surviving families, some of whom are now dear friends of ours. We deeply appreciate it! And the kids are still raving about how much fun it was!
Even though Sinise feels a heavy burden for the families involved, he expresses gratitude for the opportunity to hug and respect them. "It's always an honor to wrap my arms around them and remind them we do not forget their hero," added Sinise.
"As we approach the holiday season, I am so glad that we are able to bring these deserving families together to create new and wonderful memories at the most magical place on earth, Walt Disney World."
