Chuck Norris died on Thursday, March 19 after being hospitalized in Hawaii following a medical emergency just 10 days after he rang in his 86th trip around the sun.
His family posted a statement to Instagram announcing Chuck's death, writing: "While we would like to keep the circumstances private, please know that he was surrounded by his family and was at peace."
The news shocked Walker, Texas Ranger fans, especially those who watched a recent Instagram video where Chuck shared a video of himself in a tropical setting practicing his hooks and throws, and saying: "I don't age. I level up."
The birthday celebration video was the last post Chuck shared to his Instagram. The actor wrote in his caption: "I'm 86 today! Nothing like some playful action on a sunny day to make you feel young. I'm grateful for another year, good health and the chance to keep doing what I love. Thank you all for being the best fans in the world. Your support through the years has meant more to me than you’ll ever know."
Chuck largely retired from acting, but leading up to his death, posted occasional glimpses into his life. The actor leaves behind his wife, Gena O'Kelley, and his five children.
© Getty ImagesChuck loved his family
Chuck lived with his wife Gena, 62, on a ranch in Navasota, near Houston, Texas, where the non-profit he founded in 1990 is also based. The non-profit, Kickstart Kids, is a Texas Education Agency recognized physical education center that teaches karate to middle and high school students.
Though Chuck, whose real name is Carlos Ray Norris, largely retired from acting in 2005 — he made his screen debut in 1968 — he made movies in 2012, 2015, 2020, 2023, and 2024, his last film credit being Agent Recon.
© Getty ImagesChuck's marriages and family life
Chuck was married to Gena, a former model, from 1998 until his death. The couple met in Dallas in 1997, when Chuck was on a date with another woman, and asked her out the following day. Prior to formally meeting Chuck, she had had a minor role in Walker, Texas Ranger in 1993.
© Getty ImagesGena and Chuck shared two kids, fraternal twins Dakota and Danilee, who were born on 2001. Since 2015, Gena has been the CEO of CForce, a water bottling facility she owns with Chuck.
Prior to meeting and marrying Gena, Chuck was married to Dianne Kay Holechek, who passed away last year, for 30 years. The former couple had been classmates at North High School in Torrance and tied the knot when he was 18 and she was 17, in 1958, and welcomed two sons together Mike, born 1962, and Eric, born 1965. They separated in 1988 and finalized their divorce the following year.
© Getty ImagesIn addition to Mike, Eric, Dakota and Danilee, Chuck was also a father to daughter Dina, born the same year as his first son, out of an extramarital relationship with a woman named Johanna which took place while he was stationed in California during his time in the United States Air Force. The two met for the first time in 1990, and he publicly acknowledged her in 2004, in his memoir, Against All Odds: My Story.
