Chuck Norris has passed away at the age of 86. His death has brought back rumors that he was present at the January 6, 2021, Capitol Riot, a rumor Norris repeatedly denied. After the January 6 riot in Washington, D.C., a viral image of a man who appeared to look like Norris led people to wonder whether it was him.
Norris later took to his X account to address the rumors, claiming he wasn’t present there. “I recently learned there was a Chuck Norris lookalike at the DC Capitol riots. It wasn’t me, and I wasn’t there,” the actor wrote on X at the time, adding, “There is no room for violence of any kind in our society. I am and always will be for Law and Order.”
Later, Erik Kritzer, Norris’ his then-representative, made similar comments, noting that although Norris had publicly endorsed Trump during the 2016 election against Hillary Clinton, he was not involved in the January 6 events. He also supported the president ahead of the 2020 and 2024 races, though he did not issue an official endorsement.
“This is not Chuck Norris and is a wannabe look-alike although Chuck is much more handsome. Chuck remains on his range in Texas, where he has been with his family,” the representative said at the time.
The news of the Texas Ranger star’s passing was announced by his family in an Instagram statement on Friday, March 20. ”It is with heavy hearts that our family shares the sudden passing of our beloved Chuck Norris yesterday morning. While we would like to keep the circumstances private, please know that he was surrounded by his family and was at peace,” the statement read.
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.”
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He had reportedly been hospitalized in Hawaii on Thursday, March 19, according to TMZ. Additional details surrounding his death have not yet been made public.
Norris was married to his wife Gena O’Kelley until his passing, and is survived by his wife and children. The couple first met in 1998, when he was on a dinner date with someone else.
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Recalling his first meeting with Gena in his 2004 book, Against All Odds, the actor wrote, “Gena came on the set the next day and played a small part on the show … I invited her to dinner that night … I wanted to get to know Gena better, so I asked her to return to Dallas as soon as possible. She came back a couple of weeks later, and our friendship grew into a dating relationship. Before long, I felt myself falling head over heels in love.”
They got married on November 28, 1998, and welcomed twins, a son, Dakota Alan and a daughter, Danilee Kelley, on August 30, 2001. He also shares sons Mike and Eric Norris with his then-wife Diane Holechek. Additionally, he also had another daughter, Dina Norris DiCiolli, whom he welcomed from a previous relationship and got to know about later in life, he shared in a 2004 interview with Entertainment Tonight.
“I was going through my mail at home and I see this letter and I open it up. It’s from Dina … and she says, ‘I’m your daughter from a past experience,’ and she said, ‘I found out you were my father when I was 16, but my mother said you were married and we shouldn’t interfere with your family,'” Chuck Norris shared.
