He was the beloved Hollywood action star and renowned martial artist who became known as the ultimate symbol of tough-guy masculinity through the many films and TV shows he starred in.
But on Thursday morning, iconic actor Chuck Norris died aged 86 following a sudden medical emergency on vacation in .
His family announced his death in an Instagram post shared on Friday, writing: 'It is with heavy hearts that our family shares the sudden passing of our beloved Chuck Norris yesterday morning.'
'While we would like to keep the circumstances private, please know that he was surrounded by his family and at peace.'
It was only 24 hours before his death that Norris was on Wednesday on the island of Kauai, where he owns a second home, TMZ reported. The outlet noted that the actor was in 'good spirits' despite the medical emergency.
His decline appeared to have unfolded rapidly, as Norris was reportedly training on the island just the day before and was seemingly the 'vision of health' before his sudden death, a source exclusively told the Daily Mail.
Chuck Norris (pictured in 1985) has died aged 86 after being hospitalized in Hawaii for a sudden medical emergency, his family confirmed on Friday
'Chuck worked out and trained almost everyday of his life. He would spar and just be active always,' the source said.
'Every time someone would talk to him or see him he'd be coming from or going to a work out. He was definitely up on his fitness leading into his death.
'He has lived a life of always being in tremendous shape both spiritually, mentally and physically.'
Speaking about Norris' closeness with his loved ones, including second wife, model Gena O'Kelley and their twin son and daughter, the insider added: 'He had a tight-knit family and friend base that would talk to him all the time and see him often.
'The last several weeks he was very healthy and happy, working out and just enjoying life.'
Indeed, Norris earlier this month by sharing a video of himself staying fit with a training session.
He wrote alongside the March 10 clip: 'I'm 86 today! Nothing like some playful action on a sunny day to make you feel young. I'm grateful for another year, good health, and the chance to keep doing what I love.
'Thank you all for being the best fans in the world. Your support through the years has meant more to me than you'll ever know. God Bless, Chuck Norris.'
Despite his age, Norris lauded his excellent health and physical shape, telling fans he felt much younger than 86.
He told The Healthy in 2023: 'I'm grateful to feel strong, healthy and energized. I don't see age as a reason to slow down – if anything, it's given me the chance to renew my commitment to fitness and nutrition.'
Perhaps that is why Norris' death has come as a 'major surprise' to his loved ones, the source told the Daily Mail.
'There was no reason for anyone to think he was sick as he was always in great spirits, happy and looked young and vibrant. This was a very big surprise,' they said.
The last video of Chuck Norris shows the action star celebrating his 86th birthday with a boxing workout - just 10 days before his passing
A source told the Daily Mail that Norris was the 'vision of health' and his death has come as a 'major surprise' to his family
His family paid tribute to Norris as a 'devoted husband, a loving father and grandfather, an incredible brother, and the heart of our family.'
'He lived his life with faith, purpose, and an unwavering commitment to the people he loved,' the statement read. 'Through his work, discipline, and kindness, he inspired millions around the world and left a lasting impact on so many lives.'
Norris had been enjoying a stay on Kauai at the time of his death, a tropical island where he purchased a second home for $7 million in 2015, according to Realtor.com.
The stunning North Shore residence, just a few minutes' drive from the beach, looks out over stunning ocean views and was fittingly called Paradise Island Ranch.
The Oklahoma-born actor has spent many years visiting the island, but has primarily lived in Navasota, Texas, where he owns another vast ranch. He previously lived in California before building his home in the Lone Star state.
Norris rose to fame as a martial arts champion throughout the late 1960s, after serving in the United States Air Force. He got his start in Hollywood as a martial arts instructor to the stars, boasting Steve McQueen, Priscilla Presley and Bruce Lee as some of his celebrity students.
He even battled Lee in the widely successful 1972 martial arts film, Way of the Dragon, which grossed over $130 million at the box office worldwide and ultimately put Norris on the map.
Norris would go on to star in more than 30 action movies throughout his career. He found critical acclaim and box office success throughout the 1980s with movies such as Lone Wolf McQuade, Code of Silence and Firewalker, as well as The Delta Force and Missing in Action franchises.
But it was his transition to TV in the CBS series Walker, Texas Ranger, which ran from 1993 to 2001, that solidified Norris as an American icon. In the series, he portrayed Cordell Walker, a veteran Texas Ranger with a black belt who battled crime with an old-school moral code.
Norris got his start in Hollywood as a martial arts instructor to the stars, including actor Bruce Lee. They appeared together in the widely successful 1972 martial arts film: 'Way of the Dragon' (seen)
Norris starred in a series of blockbuster action films throughout the 1980s, including The Delta Force in 1986 (seen)
His transition to TV in the long-running CBS series Walker, Texas Ranger (seen) solidified Norris as an American icon
His prowess as a martial arts champion gave Norris even further credibility as a Hollywood action star, having held black belts in judo, karate, Taekwondo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Tang Soo Do and his own martial arts system, Chun Kuk Do.
And he became beloved by a younger generation during the mid-2000s, when internet memes featuring so-called 'Chuck Norris facts' – an absurd, hyperbolic take on Norris' athletic abilities – took over the cultural mainstream.
Norris had largely stayed out of acting roles in his later years, but made minor cameos in action flicks including The Expendables 2.
Rather, he became increasingly politically active in his later years as an advocate for the Second Amendment and defender of his Christian beliefs.
He has endorsed several Republican candidates for president over the years, and famously went skydiving in 2004 to celebrate former President George HW Bush's 80th birthday.
Norris wrote a column for the conservative media outlet WorldNetDaily, where he 'wholeheartedly' endorsed President Donald Trump ahead of the 2016 election and warned readers of the 'monumental consequences' of 'another Clinton presidency.'
He also praised Trump's 'accomplishments' before the 2020 presidential election, telling readers the 'far left has gone way too far left' and said a Biden presidency would bring 'an even greater rapid descent down the slippery slope of nanny state socialism.'
Norris has previously sparked backlash for some of his comments about the LGBTQ+ community as well.
Norris became increasingly politically active in his later years. In 2008, he endorsed former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee's run for president (seen together in January 2008)
Norris is seen campaigning for Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee during an event in New Hampsire in January 2008
In 2008, he criticized activists who were protesting against California's Proposition 8, a ballot measure that intended to ban same-sex marriage. He also drew backlash in 2012 after arguing that the Boy Scouts of America should not admit gay members.
Despite being vocal on certain political issues, the source told the Daily Mail that Norris 'never pushed his beliefs on others' and 'didn't care if people saw him differently' because of his views.
'Chuck had built such a solid place for himself in Hollywood that if the industry – or anyone in it – chose to dismiss him based on his beliefs rather than who he was as a person, that was on them, not him,' the source said.
'He was confident in who he was. He understood his audience, appreciated the people who respected his work, and didn't waste energy on those who didn't.'
They also described the action star as 'consistently kind, humble, and easy to work with' on set.
'He never pushed his beliefs on others,' they added.
'He preferred open conversations, where both sides could share their perspectives and come to their own conclusions. Putting people down or making anyone feel small was never his style.'
Born in 1940, Norris was raised by his mother Wilma and his father Ray Dee Norris, who was a World War II Army veteran, in Ryan, Oklahoma.
He was the oldest of three brothers, the younger two being Wieland and Aaron. In 1970, Wieland was killed in the Vietnam War. Norris would later dedicate his 1984 film Missing in Action to his brother.
His parents divorced when he was 16 years old, and he later relocated to Prairie Village, Kansas, and then to Torrance, California, with his mother and brothers.
Norris served in the US Air Force from 1958 to 1962. He married his first wife and high school sweetheart, Dianne Kay Holechek, in December 1958 when they were both teenagers.
The pair were happily married for 30 years and welcomed two sons together: Mike, born in 1962, and Eric, born in 1965.
Born in 1940, Norris served in the US Air Force from 1958 to 1962
He married his first wife and high school sweetheart, Dianne Kay Holechek, in December 1958. They welcomed sons Mike and Eric in 1962 and 1965, respectively (pictured in 1975)
Norris and Holechek (seen in 1989) divorced after 30 years of marriage when he confessed to having an affair in 1962, and fathering a daughter named Dina
But their marriage came to an end in 1988 when Norris in 1964 and fathering a child, a daughter named Dina, as a result of the affair.
Norris wrote in his 2004 biography, Against All Odds: My Story, that he didn't learn about Dina's existence until she reached out when she was 26 years old, claiming to be his biological daughter.
In December, Norris at 84 years old following a battle with dementia. He paid tribute to his first wife on Facebook, writing: 'I am deeply saddened to share that my ex wife, Dianne, has passed away.'
Despite their divorce, Norris said they shared a 'close' relationship and 'continued to care deeply for one another.'
'Dianne was an incredible person. She was kind, intelligent, and lived life to the fullest,' he wrote.
The actor said that Holechek's 'presence in my life will never be forgotten' and that her 'greatest pride' was their two children.
'She was also a loving and devoted mother to our sons, Mike and Eric,' Norris wrote.
Norris married model Gena O'Kelley, who is 23 years his junior, in 1998 (pictured in 2023)
The couple welcomed twins, daughter Danilee and son Dakota, in 2001 (pictured in July)
Ten years later, he married model Gena O'Kelley, who is 23 years his junior, in 1998. The two had met the year prior, when Norris was on a date with someone else.
He recounted in his 2004 memoir:'I looked up for the first time and saw the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.'
The couple welcomed twins, son Dakota and daughter Danilee, in 2001.
Norris is also survived by 13 grandchildren.
