Houston furniture mogul Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale is mourning the loss of his longtime friend Chuck Norris, the film and television icon who died at age 86, his family announced Friday.
Norris, best known for his action films and the long-running TV series “Walker, Texas Ranger,” had deep roots in Texas, living on a ranch near Navasota for many years. He also founded Kickstart Kids, a program aimed at building character in young people through karate instruction.
McIngvale said he first crossed paths with Norris in the early 1990s, when the actor was launching the program in Houston, then known as Kick Drugs Out of America.
“I first got to know Chuck Norris in the early 1990s when he was launching Kick Drugs Out of America here in Houston. I admired the work he was doing because it was never just about martial arts — it was about teaching kids discipline, structure, confidence, and respect.”
The two became close friends and business partners, with McIngvale helping finance the 1992 film “Sidekicks,” which was shot in Houston and starred Norris alongside his wife Linda.
“Linda and I had the chance to work with Chuck on Sidekicks, and he showed us exactly who he was. When things got tough, he stepped up, went on the road, made appearances, and did everything he could to help. That was Chuck — he honored his word and stood by the people he cared about.”
McIngvale also credited his wife Linda with encouraging Norris to take on the role that would define his later career.
“Linda also encouraged him to do Walker, Texas Ranger, which became a huge success.”
Despite his fame, McIngvale said Norris never let stardom change him, always making time for fans wherever he went. He also recalled a moment that revealed Norris’s deeper character, when the two collaborated to deliver mattresses to families affected by the 1992 Los Angeles riots.
“He didn’t just talk about helping people — he did it.”
Speaking to KHOU 11 on Friday morning, McIngvale reflected on the legacy his friend left behind.
“Chuck was a great guy and whatever he needed to do to help people, he was always there for them. So he left quite the legacy and that’s all that matters in life.”
McIngvale said the news of Norris’s passing came as a shock, given how fully his old friend had lived.
“Yeah, I stayed friends for years, kept in touch with him through Kickstart and Chuck and his wife, Gina, lived in Navasota, so it was shocking that he passed, but he led a great life.”
In a written tribute, McIngvale summed up what he said mattered most about the man the world knew as a larger-than-life tough guy.
“The world knew Chuck Norris as a tough man. We knew him as a good man. And in the end, that is the legacy that matters most.”
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yahoo.com ’
