March 20 (UPI) — Actor and martial artist Chuck Norris has died after being hospitalized in Hawaii for an undisclosed medical emergency, his family confirmed. He was 86.
The Norris family wrote in a post on his Instagram page that the actor, who was born Carlos Ray Norris, died Thursday morning.
“While we would like to keep the circumstances private, please know that he was surrounded by his family and was at peace,” the post said. “To the world, he was a martial artist, actor and a symbol of strength. To us, he was a devoted husband, a loving father and grandfather, an incredible brother and the heart of our family.”
TMZ had earlier reported that Norris was hospitalized Wednesday with an undisclosed medical emergency.
Chuck Norris, a cast member in the action adventure motion picture “The Expendables 2”, attends the premiere of the film with his wife Gena O’Kelly and their daughter Danilee (L) and Dakota (R) at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles in 2012. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI
Norris’ martial arts accomplishments included achieving a black belt in judo, a 5th degree black belt in karate, a 3rd degree black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, an 8th degree black belt in taekwondo, a 9th degree black belt in tang soo do and 10th degree black belt in chun kuk do.
He rose to fame with a starring role opposite Bruce Lee in 1972 film The Way of the Dragon, and followed that up with a string of action movies including The Delta Force, Lone Wolf McQuade and the Missing in Action film series.
Norris made the jump to TV in 1993, starring in CBS drama Walker, Texas Ranger until 2001. He reprised the role in a 2005 TV movie, Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire.
He later appeared in the 2012 film The Expendables 2.
In his later years, Norris became increasingly outspoken about conservative politics and wrote several books with Christian and patriotic themes. He found renewed fame online, where a series of popular memes fictionally imbued him with impossible strength and credited him with a series of impossible deeds.
He is survived by his wife, Gena O’Kelley; sons Eric and Mike; daughters Dakota, Danilee and Dina; and several grandchildren.
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