FORT BRAGG, N.C. – For the fourth time since 2003, actor, musician and humanitarian Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band hosted a concert on Fort Bragg, N.C., continuing their mission to honor and give back to the local military community.
For one family in particular, it wasn’t just a concert, but an opportunity for a long overdue ‘thank you.’
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Justin Runk, Corps Counterintelligence Coordinating Authority (CICA), XVIII Airborne Corps, was deployed in 2024 leaving his wife, Stephanie, and then 10-year-old son at home. That alone doesn’t make the Runk family unique, but their son is wheelchair bound, making day-to-day activities difficult.
“Every day is a struggle when you don’t have a vehicle equipped to transport a wheelchair,” said Runk. “We looked at vans to make it easier for my wife, but the prices were easily $25,000 to $50,000, making it impractical to buy before I left.”
While deployed, a family friend told Stephanie about the Gary Sinise Foundation’s vehicle donation program, something that sounded too good to be true. The constant challenge of getting her son in and out of their car was taking its toll on Stephanie, and she submitted the online application. When prompted to select a desired delivery date, she chose her birthday, April 5.
“I was so positive and faithful that we were going to get the van that I put down my birthday,” Stephanie said. “Then on March 30, they called and said, ‘Come get your van on your birthday.’”
Stephanie received the birthday present of a lifetime.
“The van has changed our lives drastically,” said Runk. “It’s given us the freedom to safely transport Jaxon to and from his medical appointments and just get him around.”
Prior to the June 13 concert, Sinise and band members met with the Runk family backstage, an engagement Runk put into motion once he learned about the Lt. Dan Band’s visit to Fort Bragg.
For Stephanie, she’d been waiting for the moment to properly say thank you to the foundation that changed her family’s lives.
“They made it very seamless and very easy,” Stephanie said. “There was no fanfare. They didn’t want publicity. They just wanted to do something good for our family.” For Sinise it’s about giving back to a group of people who give so much.
“I just felt a need to get out there and let people know that I appreciate them,” said Sinise. “We want to make sure we’re not forgetting what people are doing for our country.”
The Runks are now huge advocates of the Gary Sinise Foundation. Whether they are encouraging military families that may need help, or creating awareness so others can shed light on the resources offered.
As the Lt. Dan Band took the stage later that evening, the family joined hundreds of Soldiers and community members in attendance. For the Runks, it was more than a concert, it was an opportunity to thank Sinise and his foundation for transforming daily challenges into a renewed sense of independence.
“Share the resource if you don’t need it,” Runk said. “Maybe there’s a family that does. And if you do need it, make sure you apply. The Gary Sinise Foundation has been amazing.”
Click here to learn more about the https://www.garysinisefoundation.org/