Chuck Norris, the martial artist and actor who became one of Hollywood’s most enduring action icons through films and the long-running television series “Walker, Texas Ranger,” died Thursday morning in Hawaii. He was 86.

His family confirmed the death Friday in a statement posted to his Instagram account, saying he was surrounded by loved ones and at peace at the time of his passing. The family said the circumstances of his death would remain private.

Norris was hospitalized in Hawaii the same day he died, with his death coming just one day after he was admitted. The news came less than two weeks after Norris celebrated his 86th birthday on March 10. In the post he wrote that he did not age, but levelled up, adding that he was grateful for another year and good health.

In their statement, his family described Norris as a devoted husband, loving father and grandfather, and the heart of the family. They said he lived with faith, purpose, and commitment to those he loved, and that through his work and kindness he had left a lasting impact on millions.

Born Carlos Ray Norris in 1940 in Ryan, Oklahoma, he served in the United States Air Force before rising to become a world-class martial artist, earning black belts in karate, taekwondo, Tang Soo Do, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and judo.

His most iconic role came in the 1990s playing the lead character on the CBS series “Walker, Texas Ranger,” which ran from 1993 to 2001. In recent years he lost several loved ones, including his mother, who died in 2024, and his first wife, Dianne Holechek, who passed away in December. He is survived by five children, including actor Mike Norris and NASCAR driver Eric Norris.