![\"Chuck](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/AP26078712902929-1774029713.jpg\")
Chuck Norris speaks to reporters before the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, on November 6, 2026 [File: Larry Papke\/AP Photo]\u2018Texas has lost a legend\u2019<\/p>\nChuck Norris, a former martial arts champion and 1980s action-film hero, has died at the age of 86, according to his family.<\/p>\n
In a statement posted to Instagram on Friday, his family described Norris\u2019s death as sudden.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIt is with heavy hearts that our family shares the sudden passing of our beloved Chuck Norris yesterday morning,\u201d the Norris family wrote.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile we would like to keep the circumstances private, please know that he was surrounded by his family and was at peace.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to the publication Variety, Norris had been hospitalised in Hawaii since Thursday, though details were not disclosed.<\/p>\n
Norris was the six-time undefeated World Professional Middleweight Karate Champion from 1968 to 1974. But he rose to wider fame in a series of action films, including 1985\u2019s Code of Silence, 1984\u2019s Missing in Action and 1986\u2019s The Delta Force.<\/p>\n
He further cemented his status as a household name when he starred from 1993 to 2001 in the popular TV series Walker, Texas Ranger, playing a principled lawman.<\/p>\n
Norris\u2019s tough-guy image made him an internet meme in his later years, though he received pushback for his far-right political views and embrace of conspiracy theories.<\/p>\n
His family expressed gratitude to fans for their prayers during his hospitalisation.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe lived his life with faith, purpose, and an unwavering commitment to the people he loved,\u201d the post read. \u201cThrough his work, discipline, and kindness, he inspired millions around the world and left a lasting impact on so many lives.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2018The ultimate tough guy\u2019<\/p>\n
Norris starred in more than two dozen films, often portraying stoic loners, soldiers, lawmen and all-American heroes who captured criminals and rescued hostages.<\/p>\n
He made his film debut in 1973\u2019s The Way of the Dragon, where he famously faced martial arts icon Bruce Lee in Rome\u2019s Colosseum.<\/p>\n
In 1985, Time magazine dubbed him \u201cthe ultimate tough guy\u201d and \u201cthe undisputed superstar\u201d of the B-movie action genre.<\/p>\n
On screen, Norris was known for his signature roundhouse kicks, shrugging off gunfire and dispatching opponents with ease. His tough-guy persona made him a box-office draw and a television staple.<\/p>\n
Decades later, he joined fellow action stars Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis in 2012\u2019s The Expendables 2, helping defeat a villain played by Belgian fighter Jean-Claude Van Damme.<\/p>\n
He also became an unlikely internet phenomenon. In 2005, \u201cChuck Norris Facts\u201d, a series of satirical jokes about his strength and masculinity, went viral and inspired several books.<\/p>\n
The \u201cFacts\u201d included jokes like \u201cChuck Norris has a mug of nails instead of coffee in the morning\u201d and \u201cChuck Norris doesn\u2019t do push-ups; he pushes the Earth down.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chuck Norris speaks to reporters before the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, on November 6, 2026 [File: Larry Papke\/AP Photo]\u2018Texas has lost a legend\u2019<\/p>\n
Carlos Ray Norris was born on March 10, 1940, in Ryan, Oklahoma, the oldest of three brothers. The family moved to California after his parents divorced.<\/p>\n
He described himself as extremely quiet and introverted as a young man, which he attributed to his father\u2019s alcoholism and the family\u2019s poverty.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn school I was shy and inhibited,\u201d Norris wrote in his 2004 memoir, Against All Odds: My Story. \u201cIf the teacher asked me to recite something aloud in front \u200cof the \u2060class, I would just shake my head no.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to Norris, he was also not a natural athlete growing up, and he credited his martial arts career to intense training.<\/p>\n
After graduating from school, he enlisted in the US Air Force in 1958. While stationed in South Korea, he learned Tang Soo Do, a form of karate, and other martial arts.<\/p>\n
The future film star started teaching martial arts in California after his discharge. Actor Steve McQueen, who was one of Norris\u2019s students, eventually encouraged him to try acting.<\/p>\n
Tributes poured in following news of his death, including from political figures who shared Norris\u2019s far-right leanings.<\/p>\n