Chuck Norris Remembered for His Faith, Family and Belief That ‘God Has Plans’

Chuck Norris is being remembered not just as a Hollywood tough guy, but as a man deeply guided by faith.

The Walker, Texas Ranger star often spoke about how his Christian beliefs shaped his life, especially during moments of crisis. In a 2004 interview tied to his autobiography Against All Odds: My Story, Norris recalled a terrifying time when his wife faced complications during pregnancy.

“I’d earned millions of dollars over my lifetime, I’d been a friend to several presidents, yet all the money in my bank account couldn’t help me,” he wrote, per Baptist Press. “There was only one person to whom I could turn.”

That person, he said, was God.

Norris credited his mother for instilling that faith early on. “She influenced me spiritually and instilled in me a sense of responsibility that carried over in my later adult life,” he recalled, per the outlet. “She always told me ‘God has plans for you,’ and I didn’t know what she meant. I think I do now.”

Despite global success, Norris remained open about personal struggles, forgiveness and the importance of family, often emphasizing that faith helped him stay grounded.

Later in life, he focused on mentoring young people and giving back through programs rooted in his beliefs like launching a martial arts program for middle schoolers called Kickstart, an ode to his days of kicking butt with the likes of Bruce Lee. Beyond his memoir, Norris also explored storytelling through faith and values in his novel The Justice Riders.

Norris died at the age of 86 on Thursday, March 19, after a sudden hospitalization, per TMZ. He is survived by his wife, Gena, 62, and his children, Mike, 63; Eric 60; and twins Dakota and Danilee, 24.

Per People, Norris  was also the father to daughter Dina, born in 1963 from a previous affair.