‘Walker, Texas Ranger’ Star Chuck Norris Dies at 86—Hours After Being Hospitalized During Hawaii Vacation

Actor and martial arts expert Chuck Norris has passed away at the age of 86, just one day after he was hospitalized in Hawaii, where he was spending time at his longtime vacation home.

The "Walker, Texas Ranger" star's death was announced in a post shared to his official Instagram page on March 20.

"It is with heavy hearts that our family shares the sudden passing of our beloved Chuck Norris yesterday morning," the post read. "While we would like to keep the circumstances private, please know that he was surrounded by his family and was at peace."

It continued: "To the world, he was a martial artist, 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.

"He lived his life with faith, purpose, and an unwavering commitment to the people he loved. Through his work, discipline, and kindness, he inspired millions around the world and left a lasting impact on so many lives."

The news of his death comes just one day after TMZ revealed that the actor had been hospitalized for an unspecified "medical emergency" while enjoying a stay on the island of Kauai, where he purchased a stunning home for $7 million in 2015.

It is unclear what the medical emergency was; however, the outlet reported that the actor was in "good spirits."

Norris appears to have been staying at his property on Kauai's North Shore for a few days before his hospitalization, even sharing an Instagram video of himself getting in some boxing training on the grounds of his home on March 10—the date of his 86th birthday.

The actor's 4,500-square-foot home in Hawaii has long been used as a retreat by the actor and his family, offering plenty of room for them to rest and relax—including three bedrooms and five bathrooms.

Known as Paradise Island Ranch, the property is located just a 10-minute drive from the nearest beach, and offers stunning views of the lush landscape that surrounds it.

Fittingly, however, Norris' primary residence has, for many years, been in Texas, where he owns another enormous ranch in Navasota.

The actor, who hails from Oklahoma, has lived in the Lone Star State since the early 1990s, when he relocated from California—ultimately selling off many of the properties he'd previously owned in and around Los Angeles.

Certainly he was able to enjoy much more space, and nature, at his ranch, which was completed in 1997, and comes complete with 17 bedrooms and 15 bathrooms.

The main dwelling on the property spreads across 20,589 square feet and is situated on a 548.46-acre lot.

Norris' family has long had roots in Texas, where his brother, Aaron, also resided—living in a property in Dallas for many years.

Although he lived in California at the start of his career, the actor found his true home in Texas, having spent much of his childhood bouncing around different homes and locations, something he said made it hard to him to really feel rooted.

He previously opened up about his childhood in his 1988 memoir, "The Secret of Inner Strength: My Story," in which he admitted that his dad's alcohol addiction severely affected the early days of his life.

"It wasn’t until my dad came home from WW II that he really started to drink. His absences were actually pleasant times," the actor told People of the subject in 1988.

"My mom was working—just menial jobs, since she had only a ninth-grade education—but there was none of the tension, the tippy-toeing around, like there is when there is someone in the house who’s liable to blow up at any moment."

After graduating high school, Norris joined the Air Force. While in Korea, he took up karate—a skill that later proved very useful in his career.

When he returned from the Air Force, he worked as a karate teacher on the side, eventually taking his passion for the sport to the next level by competing and winning consecutive middleweight titles.

As he honed his skills, more and more celebrities began to take his class, and eventually, Steve McQueen suggested that he try his hand at acting.

After meeting Bruce Lee at a competition, Norris was cast in his 1972 film, "Way of the Dragon."

He then appeared in "Yellow Faced Tiger," and had his first starring role in the 1977 film, "Breaker! Breaker!"

Later, he starred in "Good Guys Wear Black," "A Force of One," "The Octagon," and "An Eye for an Eye," "Silent Rage," and "Lone Wolf McQuade."

By 1993, Norris appeared on the hit show "Walker, Texas Ranger," which solidified his status as a leading action star. In 1996, the series soared to the top 10 TV shows.

That same year, he opened up about his success, explaining that he felt he had reached his pinnacle with the show—and the topics that it covered.

“I’ve finally gotten the show to where I want it, and that’s to a place where you really don’t know what to expect each Saturday," Norris told the Los Angeles Times in 1996.

"One week we might have an episode about the peer pressure on kids to become involved in street gang violence, and the next week is something that is fairly silly and humorous, and the next is a race-against-time type drama with Walker trying to rescue a child that is trapped in a well."

He continued, “There’s heart, and it’s emotional and gripping."

In 2005, Norris once again made headlines for the meme "Chuck Norris facts,” where fans would spread hyperbolic news about the actor.

The actor established the United Fighting Arts Federation and Kickstart Kids in 1990.

Later, he was a spokesperson for the U.S. Veterans Administration. In 2016, he endorsed President Donald Trump in that year's election.

In 1958, he tied the knot to Dianne Kay Holechek and welcomed sons Mike and Eric. Norris and Holechek separated in 1989.

He also welcomed daughter Dina through an extramarital affair.

In 1988, he tied the knot to Gena O'Kelley, and the couple welcomed twins Dakota and Danilee in 2001.