(NEXSTAR) – Chuck Norris, a martial artist and actor known for his appearances in “The Way of the Dragon” and “Walker, Texas Ranger,” has died, his family has announced.
He was 86.
“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 was at peace,” reads a statement credited to the Norris family.
Martial artist/actor Chuck Norris makes his Wizard World Comic Con debut during Wizard World Comic Con Philadelphia 2017 on June 3, 2017, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Gilbert Carrasquillo/Getty Images)
The family’s remarks, which were posted to Norris’ official Instagram account on Friday morning, did not list a cause of death but mentioned his “recent hospitalization.” On Thursday, TMZ had reported that Norris was training on the Hawaiian island of Kauai when he suffered a medical emergency, but sources for the outlet said he was “in good spirits.”
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Norris’ family, in their statement, said they were grateful for the “prayers and support” of his fans during the ordeal.
“He lived his life with faith, purpose, and an unwavering commitment to the people he loved,” reads their statement. “Through his work, discipline, and kindness, he inspired millions around the world and left a lasting impact on so many lives.
“While 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. The 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,” Norris’ family wrote before asking for privacy while they “grieve this loss.”
“Thank you for loving him with us,” the statement concluded.
Chuck Norris plays a renegade Texas Ranger in a scene from the 1983 film “Lone Wolf McQuade.” (Topkick Productions/Getty Images)
Norris, born Carlos Ray Norris in Ryan, Oklahoma, made his film debut as an uncredited bodyguard in the 1968 movie “The Wrecking Crew,” which included a fight with Dean Martin. He had also crossed paths with Bruce Lee in martial arts circles. Their friendship — sometimes, as sparring partners — led to an iconic faceoff in the 1972 movie “Return of the Dragon,” in which Lee fights and kills Norris’ character in Rome’s Colosseum.
He went on to act in more than 20 movies, including “Missing in Action,” “The Delta Force” and “Sidekicks.”
Before he would become a star in movies and on TV, Norris was wildly successful in competitive martial arts. He became a six-time undefeated World Professional Middleweight Karate champion. He also founded his own Korean-based American hard style of karate, known sometimes as Chun Kuk Do, and the United Fighting Arts Federation, which has awarded more than 3,300 Chuck Norris System black belts worldwide. Black Belt magazine ultimately credited Norris in its hall of fame with holding a 10th-degree black belt, the highest possible honor.
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Thanks to his martial arts skills and the tough-guy characters he often played, Norris became something of a meme in the mid-2000s after a series of silly, extremely hyperbolic “facts” about him began going viral online.
“Chuck Norris had a staring contest with the sun — and won,” read one of the “facts,” while another said, “They wanted to put Chuck Norris on Mt. Rushmore, but the granite wasn’t tough enough for his beard.”
Norris ultimately embraced the absurdity of the meme craze, putting together “The Official Chuck Norris Fact Book,” which combined his favorites with supposedly true stories and the codes he aimed to live by.
“To some who know little of my martial arts or film careers but perhaps grew up with ‘Walker, Texas Ranger,’ it seems that I have become a somewhat mythical superhero icon,” Norris wrote in the forward to the fact book. “I am flattered and humbled.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
