Chuck Norris, who admittedly was shy and not athletic and who wound up transforming himself into a six-time world karate champion and one of Hollywood’s most unlikely action stars, died on March 19 in Hawaii after a sudden medical emergency. He was 86, a mere nine days past his birthday, which he had marked by posting a video of himself sparring and declaring, “I don’t age. I level up.”
Carlos Ray Norris was born on March 10, 1940, in Ryan, Oklahoma, the eldest of three sons. His father, Ray, was largely absent and an alcoholic. His mother, Wilma, a devout Christian, held the family together. The Norris family eventually relocated to Torrance, California, where Chuck was, by his own admission, not someone others would expect to become an iconic tough guy. He joined the Air Force in 1958.
A posting to Osan Air Base in South Korea changed everything. There,
Continue reading
Join the conversation!
Please share your thoughts about this article below. We value your opinions, and would love to see you add to the discussion!