Action star Chuck Norris has died at the age of 86
This was announced by his family in a statement published on social media.
“He lived his life with faith, purpose and unwavering devotion to the people he loved. Through his work, discipline and kindness, he inspired millions of people around the world and left an indelible mark on the lives of many,” the post reads.
In the statement, his family described Norris as a man who, to the world, was a martial arts master, actor and symbol of strength, and to his family — a devoted husband, father, grandfather and brother.
The family thanked fans for their support, particularly following the actor’s recent hospitalisation, and asked that their privacy be respected during this time of mourning.
Chuck Norris: biography and career
Chuck Norris (full name Carlos Ray Norris Jr.) was born in Ryan, Oklahoma; his father was a soldier during the Second World War.
In 1958, Norris joined the Air Force, and whilst serving at Osan Air Base in South Korea, Norris was first given the nickname Chuck and began practising taekwondo — a Korean martial art.
After leaving the service in 1962, Norris worked for the aerospace company Northrop and opened a chain of karate schools; the schools’ clients included Steve McQueen, Chad McQueen, Bob Barker, Priscilla Presley, Donny Osmond and Marie Osmond.
Norris was a highly decorated martial arts master: a black belt in judo, a 3rd-degree black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, a 5th-degree black belt in karate, an 8th-degree black belt in taekwondo, and a 9th-degree black belt in Tansudo.
However, Norris gained fame as an action film actor and the star of the television series "Walker, Texas Ranger", which aired from 1993 to 2001.
In cinema, he is also known for his roles in the films "Missing" (1984), "Code of Silence" (1985), "Invasion of the USA" (1985) and "Delta Force" (1986). Early in his career, he starred alongside Bruce Lee in the film "Way of the Dragon". In 2012, after a seven-year hiatus from film, Norris joined a host of other action stars in the film "The Expendables 2", directed by Sylvester Stallone.
In later years, he also became the subject of internet memes that cemented his image as an invincible pop culture figure: “Chuck Norris kills 100% of germs” and “Paper beats rock, rock beats scissors, and scissors beat paper, but Chuck Norris beats all three at once".
He is survived by his second wife, Gena O’Kelly, whom he married in 1998, two sons, Eric and Mike, daughters Dakota, Danili and Dina, and several grandchildren.
