American actor and former world karate champion Chuck Norris has died at the age of 86, his family said in a statement posted on Instagram on Friday.
“It is with great sorrow that our family communicates the sudden passing of our beloved Chuck Norris, which occurred yesterday morning. While we prefer to keep the circumstances private, we want you to know that he was surrounded by his family and departed peacefully,” the family wrote in a social media post accompanied by a black-and-white photo of the actor.
According to media reports on Thursday, Norris had been admitted to a hospital in Hawaii after suffering a medical emergency.
“To the world, he was a martial artist, an 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,” his entourage added in the message.
Chuck Norris did not resist and died
Norris became one of the best-known faces of the action movies of the 1970s and 1980s after jumping to the big screen with ‘The Way of the Dragon’ (1972), known for his famous fight against Bruce Lee.
He later starred in ‘Breaker, Breaker!’ (1977) and participated in the television series ‘Walker, Texas Ranger’ (1993-2001), which expanded his popularity.
“Although our hearts are broken, we are deeply grateful for the life he lived and the unforgettable moments we were lucky enough 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 grateful for that. To him, you were not just fans, you were his friends,” the family said.
Born on March 10, 1940 in Oklahoma (United States), he enlisted in 1958 in the U.S. Air Force and was stationed in South Korea, where he discovered martial arts and was initiated in Tang Soo Do.
Upon his return to his country, he opened several karate schools and began to compete, quickly excelling until he was proclaimed world professional karate champion in 1968, a title he held until 1974, when he retired. During this period he developed his own combat system, Chun Kuk Do, reported Agencia EFE.
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