Over the years, martial artist Chuck Norris has enjoyed enormous popularity. He even became a synonym of strength and attracted millions of fans from all over the world.
He holds black belts in Tang Soo Do, Brazilian jiu jitsu and judo and is the founder of the discipline Chun Kuk Do, an American hybrid martial arts style based on Traditional Taekwondo styles such as Tang Soo Do/Moo Duk Kwan Taekwondo.
Besides being a huge part of Hollywood, he is also a family man and a father of five. He and his wife Gena O’Kelley, a former model, have been together for over 22 years. What we love about Norris is that he never misses a chance to remind Gena, as well as all of us, how much she means to him.
Recently, the actor shared a photo of the two on their wedding day and wrote, “22 years ago I became the luckiest man in the world when Gena and I got married. Happy Anniversary my beautiful wife! There are no words to describe my love and appreciation for you. Thank you for sharing your life with me. I praise God for every day we are together.”
However, O’Kelley isn’t the only important woman in Norris’ life. The 81-year-old actor is lucky enough to still have his mother by his side.
Wilma Norris Knight, who have recently celebrated her 102nd birthday, has always been extremely supportive of her eldest son. She was there through thin and tick and Norris is forever grateful for that.
Chuck, who turned 83 in March, writes in a letter to his mom, Wilma, “Mom, I don’t know what’s more difficult to believe: that you are 102 years old or that you have a son who is 83 years old! Regardless, I’m so grateful you are my mom. I always have been. We’ve been through thick and thin in this life, and we are still going strong.”
When Wilma became a centenarian, her famous son said of her, “Mom has been an example of perseverance and faith her whole life. She’s also endured the deaths of her two husbands, a stepson, two grandchildren, and my younger brother Wieland in the Vietnam War. She’s had cancer repeatedly and has undergone roughly 30 different surgeries for various issues–yet she’s still here to tell about it.”
Back in 2012, Wilma was asked about her sons on The Mike Huckabee Show. Describing them, she said Chuck is the “defender,” his brother, Aaron, is her “sunshine,” and the Wieland, the youngest who died in Vietnam, was her “hero.”
Wilma’s early life was a tough one. Besides attending school, she was forced to do multiple jobs, including cotton picking. She lived through the Great Depression, and speaking of that period of her life, Norris told WorldNetDaily, “When done picking one field, they’d often move to another town to pick another field. There was nothing easy about life in the Dust Bowl, especially during the decade of the Great Depression.”
When she turned 16, Wilma met Norris’ father. Unfortunately, after welcoming three sons together, he left her, so she was forced to raise her kids all by herself.
“Mom has been an example of perseverance and faith her whole life,” Norris told Christian Post.
“She’s also endured the deaths of her two husbands, a stepson, two grandchildren, and my younger brother Wieland in the Vietnam War. She’s had cancer repeatedly and has gone through roughly 30 different surgeries for a host of issues – and yet she’s still here to tell about it.”
Norris credits his mother for much of the success he reached during his life.
“My mother has prayed for me all my life, through thick and thin,” he said. “When I was born, I almost died from complications. When nearly losing my soul to Hollywood a few decades ago, she was back home praying for my success and salvation. She even prayed for me to find a woman to change my life, and it worked.”
Chuck Norris is a lucky man. We are glad his life is going to the right direction, and although he’s only been landing minor roles ever since 2012, we hope to see him in bigger projects.
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