Martial arts grandmaster, prolific action star Chuck Norris dies at 86

The martial arts grandmaster and Walker, Texas Ranger actor whose toughness became internet lore, Chuck Norris, died Thursday at the age of 86.

Norris was hospitalized in Hawaii Thursday morning, before his family posted on social media Friday that the actor died in a “sudden passing.”

“While we would like to keep the circumstances private, please know that he was surrounded by his family and was at peace,” the family said in a statement in the post. “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,” further reads the post.

Before he would become a star in movies and on TV, Norris was wildly successful in competitive martial arts.

He was 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.

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Black Belt magazine ultimately credited Norris in its hall of fame with holding a 10th degree black belt, the highest possible honor.

Born Carlos Ray Norris in Ryan, Oklahoma, on March 10, 1940, he grew up poor.

At age 12, he moved with his family to Torrance, California, and joined the U.S. Air Force after high school, in 1958.

It was during a deployment to Korea that he started training in martial arts, including judo and Tang Soo Do.

Norris’s acting career was very prolific in the 1970s and ‘80s, including playing opposite Bruce Lee in 1972’s The Way of the Dragon, and starring in action films like the 1984’s Missing in Action, and 1986’s The Delta Force.

Norris celebrated his birthday just over a week before his death, and is survived by five children

With files from The Canadian Press.

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