And the simple invocation of his name was all it took to express an affirmation of your accuracy or strength of position. If Chuck Norris agreed with you, or more likely you with him, that was all the bona fides needed to win your point.
Somewhere in the cinematic world of martial arts, particularly in the earliest days of popularity of taekwondo, Mr. Norris rose to prominence for his skill at an early age in difficult variations of martial arts. It is usually for those skills that people came first to revere him as an icon of massive proportions—real, not imagined. It was his willingness to speak up, however many those against his position, that made him the real subject of admiration of many who saw his image projected only on screens of varying proportions.
It’s really a geographical issue as to how people respond to the iconic name of Chuck Norris. Today he is on the minds and in the hearts of so many people who never met him, yet each of them has a distinct, sincere impression of this man whom many consider a legend. The legend concluded his history, with his death at age 86 in Hawaii on March 19th.
Outside the state of Texas, it’s likely that you’ll associate Norris with one of three things—extraordinary martial artist, movie actor famed for action movies such as the “Missing in Action” or “The Delta Force” series; or TV star most recently known for his production, “Walker, Texas Ranger.”
Born Carlos Ray Norris in Ryan, Oklahoma, on March 10, 1940, he had many professions in his lifetime. He began his military career at age 18 in 1958 in the U.S. Air Force and was stationed at Osan Air Base in South Korea. His assignment there was as an Air Policeman (today we call it Air Force Security Forces), and that provided the opportunity to begin his training in judo on base. In town, the U.S. War Department noted that he found a dojo studio in Osan, where he was introduced to “Tang Soo So, a Korean martial art.” He then went to March Air Force Base in California and was honorably discharged in 1962 with the rank of Airman First Class.
Subsequently he developed skill at taekwondo and “was the first Westerner to be awarded an eighth-degree black belt in taekwondo.” His next venture included teaching karate and opening a chain of schools in Los Angeles. He first became famous for training celebrities in martial arts, including Steve McQueen, Priscilla Presley, and Donny and Marie Osmond. His war department bio notes that Master Norris won the Professional Middleweight Karate Champion at age 28 and kept the title for six years.
Memes have filled the internet for years, proclaiming Chuck Norris as the ultimate “tough guy,” a benchmark for legendary strength with the ability to accomplish seemingly impossible tasks. One example is “Chuck Norris hit 11 out of 10 targets with 9 bullets” and “The flu has to get Chuck Norris shots once a year,” and “Chuck Norris can pass a vision test with his eyes closed.” The occasion to invoke Norris as a source of authority guaranteed social media “likes,” “follows,” and invariably “shares.”
And yet, Chuck Norris—the man, the myth, the legend—was in fact a mere mortal who possessed the greatest strength of all: his faith in God and his strength of character. Unyielding, unafraid, and incredibly unassuming, Chuck Norris in person was simply nothing like the man you see on screen. He was kind, gentle, brilliant, and had a special countenance about him that belied every ounce of muscle jam-packed onto his frame.
My first sighting was in 2015, in the former location of Office Max in College Station one Sunday after church. He and his wife, Gena, were quietly looking at file cabinets, assessing which ones might work best for them. Gena, blond and beautiful, was also approachable and gracious, and both were willing to look other customers in the eye, preferring to act “just like any other shoppers” that day. Of course, I recognized them instantly but simply smiled broadly and gently nodded my head in their direction. They returned the acknowledgement.
It would be less than six months later our paths would cross once more. I was writing 12 columns for the former online examiner.com, an Internet news outlet that was meant to focus on hometown events and celebrate good news, based on the goals of founder Philip Anschutz. It was no competition for our local outlets but it provided creative freedom. I received a press release about a program new to the Bryan Independent School District, Kickstart Kids, founded in 1990 in Houston by Chuck Norris.
The release explained that Davila Middle School was to be one of several new schools in the state to launch a Kickstart Kids karate program in a neighborhood where it could reach the most number of middle school students who could benefit from the program. An instructor was assigned, Master Rommel Gargoles, today an 18-times World Champion in karate, a bright young man who was the perfect guide to instruct these young boys and girls.
I was invited to attend one of their actual classroom experiences at Davila and found these teenagers to be respectful, disciplined, and intensely serious about “getting it right” in terms of the moves required for their tasks. In fact, just as important as the physical accomplishment was the attitude of preparation, execution, and conclusion of the sport. I interviewed Master Gargoles and found that he truly loved being a role model for the young people and spoke of his admiration for Master Norris and the skills he possessed, with modesty about his own accomplishments. A little research produced a hefty resume filled with accolades but, like Chuck Norris, you could not tell it by his demeanor.
During the semester came the opportunity to witness their skill in an outdoor exhibition at the local arena in Navasota, the city where the Norris family had been calling home while raising their family together. Once again, the consistency with which the students showed their talents marked both improvement and increased joy with their accomplishment. Nothing helps “lost” teenagers more than to find measures of success in goals they adopt along the way. Master Gargoles’ praise was on target and appropriate, but not effusive and overdone.
Invited back to attend their graduation ceremony at semester’s end, I had a chance to watch their final maneuvers during which they would accomplish goals such as chopping a wooden plank with their hand or executing a series of moves with various complicated maneuvers I’m ill-equipped to describe correctly. If you know karate, you know what is required to reach each of the belt color status levels. I was invited to sit next to Mr. Norris and his wife, and we did not exchange idle chatter during the exhibition. In fact, beyond a nice “Thank you for being here,” the only thing on Master Norris’ mind was those students and watching each one intensely as they performed the various tasks.
It was at that point that I was convinced of why people were in awe of Chuck Norris. It was his ability to concentrate strictly and intensely on his goal, without distraction interfering. His laser-like focus met their eyes when each one in turn looked over to see if “he” was indeed watching them. And, in fact, he was. The joy and pride in the students’ eyes was unmistakable.
At the reception following the event with folks mingling about, some too afraid to approach him, I walked up and thanked both Mr. and Mrs. Norris for their office team including me throughout the semester to provide the full picture of what Kickstart Kids was all about. I asked them, “What was it that provided inspiration to get all of this going?”
His answer was fast and gentle. Master Norris, now Mr. Norris said, “My wife and I had volunteered to teach a Bible study for our church’s young people and in our first meeting, I was shocked at how casually the students approached the event. They were talking among themselves, not paying too much attention, as though they were disinterested in learning more about the Bible, being ‘a little too old’ for such things.” Continuing he said, “I determined that they needed some discipline, right now, but more importantly they needed a reason to want that discipline.” And Kickstart Kids was born in Houston, and several major local philanthropists there were happy to help get it started. If memory serves, Pres. and Mrs. George H. W. Bush, friends of the family, were happy to offer their support as the Norrises had often been happy to support the endeavors of the Bush Foundation and were present at every major event in Aggieland where they were present.
In fact, one of my dear friends sat next to them at the grand opening of the Bush Presidential Library and Conference Center at Texas A&M, an historic event attended by five living U.S. Presidents. She said they couldn’t have been nicer. That’s the point. Great people are the same 24 hours a day—they never vary to suit the occasion. They simply are good souls.
I have one small regret. As a Certified Life Celebrant, I have the occasional honor of creating and officiating for families the memorial services to remember their loved ones. I have on my desk, still today, the memorial folder of a woman who passed away in 2024 at the age of 57. She graduated from Bryan High at the age of 22 and did not marry but was a constant source of love for and to her large family.
In telling her story, one of the most important things, her family said, was her love of Chuck Norris and how she and her dad loved watching “Walker, Texas Ranger” together. It was “their thing.” His image was one of three major photos fixed on the video wall during visitation and part of the keepsake memorial program. He was “that important” to the young woman and her entire family, whom he never met.
Chuck Norris had exactly that kind of impact on so many people whom he will never realize were positively influenced by him. I kept that program on my desk, intending to send it to Mr. Norris’ office in Navasota, the headquarters for one of his enterprises, CForce Water.
Call it good fortune or serendipity, but water from an artesian source under the Norris Lone Wolf Ranch in Navasota is bottled, sold, and distributed far and wide. It’s okay if your natural thought flows as: “Chuck Norris didn’t discover the water; the water came looking for Chuck Norris” and you’d be justified in saying that without being ridiculed. You put good energy into the world and with God’s help, it flows back to a source of goodness, enriched and improved along the way.
On Instagram today, the Norris family issued a brief statement about their leader’s passing as being “the heart of our family.” Their final words are all that need saying, and somehow you know he’s enjoying his heavenly reward as he read:
“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.”
As of this writing, after 13 hours, the post has 1,900,000 likes and 88,700 comments and counting.
Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Amen and amen.