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Chuck Norris, the legendary martial artist and action film icon renowned for his role in Walker, Texas Ranger, has passed away at the age of 86.
“With profound sadness, our family announces the unexpected passing of our cherished Chuck Norris yesterday morning,” the family statement expressed.
“While we prefer to keep the details private, please be assured that he was surrounded by loved ones and left this world peacefully.
“To the public, he was a martial arts master, a celebrated actor, and a symbol of resilience. To us, he was a devoted husband, a loving father and grandfather, a remarkable brother, and the cornerstone of our family.
“He lived a life filled with faith, purpose, and a steadfast dedication to those he held dear.”
“Through his work, discipline, and kindness, he inspired millions around the world and left a lasting impact on so many lives.
“While our hearts are broken, we are deeply grateful for the life he lived and for the unforgettable moments we were blessed to share with him. The love and support he received from fans around the world meant so much to him, and our family is truly thankful for it.
“To him, you were not just fans, you were his friends.
“We know many of you had heard about his recent hospitalisation, and we are truly grateful for the prayers and support you sent his way.
“As we grieve this loss, we kindly ask for privacy for our family during this time. Thank you for loving him with us.”
Before he would become a star in movies and on TV, Norris was wildly successful in competitive martial arts.
A week before his death, to mark his 86th birthday on March 10, the actor shared a video of him boxing on social media, telling fans: “I don’t age. I level up.”
Norris was a six-time undefeated World Professional Middleweight Karate champion.
He also founded his own Korean-based American hard style of karate, known sometimes as Chun Kuk Do, and the United Fighting Arts Federation, which has awarded more than 3300 Chuck Norris System black belts worldwide.
Black Belt magazine ultimately credited Norris in its hall of fame with holding a 10th degree black belt, the highest possible honour.
Born Carlos Ray Norris in Ryan, Oklahoma, on March 10, 1940, he grew up poor.
At age 12, he moved with his family to Torrance, California, and joined the US Air Force after high school, in 1958. It was during a deployment to Korea that he started training in martial arts, including judo and Tang Soo Do.
“I went out for gymnastics and football at North Torrance high,” he told The Associated Press in 1982.
“I played some football, but I also spent a lot of time on the bench. I was never really athletic until I was in the service in Korea.”
After he was honourably discharged in 1962, he worked as a file clerk for Northrop Aircraft and applied to be a police officer, but was put on a waitlist.
Meanwhile, he opened a martial arts studio, which expanded to a chain, with students including such stars as Bob Barker, Priscilla Presley, Donny and Marie Osmond, and Steve McQueen, whom he later credited with encouraging him to get into acting.
Norris made his film debut as an uncredited bodyguard in the 1968 movie The Wrecking Crew, which included a fight with Dean Martin.
He had also crossed paths with Bruce Lee in martial arts circles. Their friendship — sometimes, as sparring partners — led to an iconic faceoff in the 1972 movie Return of the Dragon, in which Lee fights and kills Norris’ character in Rome’s Colosseum.
He went on to act in more than 20 movies, such as Missing in Action, The Delta Force and Sidekicks.
“I wanted to project a certain image on the screen of a hero. I had seen a lot of anti-hero movies in which the lead was neither good nor bad. There was no one to root for,” Norris said in 1982.
In 1993, he took on his most famed role, as a crime-fighting lawman in TV’s Walker, Texas Ranger.
The show ran for nine seasons, and in 2010, then-Gov. Rick Perry awarded him the title of honorary Texas Ranger. The Texas Senate later named him an honorary Texan.
“It’s not violence for violence’s sake, with no moral structure,” Norris told the AP in 1996, speaking about the show.
“You try to portray the proper meaning of what it’s about — fighting injustice with justice, good vs. bad. … It’s entertaining for the whole family.”
Norris was outspoken about his Christian beliefs and his support for gun rights, and backed political candidates for years — he even went skydiving with Bush for the former president’s 80th birthday.
As for Trump, Norris endorsed him in the 2016 general election and wrote guest columns praising him without explicitly endorsing him the in the days before the 2020 and 2024 elections.
Norris is survived by five children: stunt performers Mike and Eric with his late ex-wife Dianne Holechek, twins Dakota and Danilee with his wife Gena Norris, and Dina, the result of an early 1960s “one-night stand” revealed in his autobiography.
– Reported with Associated Press.
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