her own long tribute<\/a> on Instagram.\u00a0<\/p>\n\u201cI don\u2019t think grief is a good enough word to describe the emotions my family and I are going through right now.. losing a parent is something that you are never prepared for,\u201d she began.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Danilee went on to call her \u201csweet father,\u201d her \u201cprotector,\u201d and noted, \u201cas soon as he took me in his arms, I\u2019ve been his little girl. That was something I would always acknowledge even when I was too big to be cradled properly.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy dad loved so deeply and cared for every single person in his life with so much tenderness,\u201d she continued. \u201cHe may have a warrior exterior, but his heart was so full of love and I\u2019m so grateful that is something he and my mom passed down to me. To say how thankful I am for him being my dad is an understatement.\u201d<\/p>\nChuck\u2019s youngest daughter and Dakota\u2019s twin, Danilee Norris, gushed about being her dad\u2019s \u201clittle girl.\u201d d.ani.lee\/Instagram<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\u201cI promise I will always and forever try to make you proud even if you already reminded me every day that it was impossible not to. I love you forever,\u201d she said on Instagram. d.ani.lee\/Instagram<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nCalling Chuck her \u201csafe person,\u201d the 24-year-old swore to \u201cforever carry on his legacy\u201d by showering people\u00a0\u201cin that compassion that he so frequently showed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Addressing her \u201camazing father,\u201d she thanked him for supporting her \u201cpassions.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cI promise I will always and forever try to make you proud even if you already reminded me every day that it was impossible not to. I love you forever,\u201d she concluded, signing off her post with \u201clove, your little girl.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chuck welcomed Dakota and Danilee with his second wife, Gena O\u2019Kelley, whom he married in 1998. He also shared Mike, 63, and Eric, 60, with his first wife, Diane Holecheck. <\/p>\nDanilee called her father \u201camazing\u201d and her \u201cprotector.\u201d d.ani.lee\/Instagram<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nShe also thanked him for allowing her to follow her passions. d.ani.lee\/Instagram<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nChuck learned later in life that he had welcomed a fifth child, Dina, during an extramarital affair. <\/p>\n
In 2004, he told \u201cEntertainment Tonight\u201d that he hadn\u2019t known about her existence until she contacted him at 26. She is now 61.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was going through my mail at home and I see this letter and I open it up,\u201d he recalled at the time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s from Dina \u2026 and she says, \u2018I\u2019m your daughter from a past experience,\u2019 and she said, \u2018I found out you were my father when I was 16, but my mother said you were married and we shouldn\u2019t interfere with your family.’\u201d<\/p>\nChuck shared Dakota and Danilee with wife Gena O\u2019Kelley. Instagram\/chucknorris<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe two married in 1998. Instagram\/chucknorris<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nOn Friday, Chuck\u2019s family announced that he had died the previous morning after suffering a medical emergency. <\/p>\n
\u201cTo 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
His family highlighted that \u201che lived his life with faith, purpose, and an unwavering commitment to the people he loved\u201d and \u201cinspired millions around the world and left a lasting impact\u201d \u2026 \u201cthrough his work, discipline, and kindness.\u201d<\/p>\nChuck (seen here with O\u2019Kelley in 2001) had three more children from previous relationships. REUTERS<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nChuck (seen here with Dakota) died March 19. d.ak.ot.a\/Instagram<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\u201cWhile 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,\u201d the lengthy statement continued in part.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
One day before news of his death broke, TMZ reported he had been rushed to the hospital<\/a> after suffering a medical emergency on the island of Kauai in Hawaii. The details of the incident were unknown.\u00a0<\/p>\nHowever, on March 10, Chuck had celebrated his 86th birthday<\/a> by taking a boxing class.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n