Rest Easy, Chuck

Decades of influence, gone in the blink of an eye

Chuck Norris, the legendary American martial artist, movie star, and television giant, passed away on Thursday, March 19, 2026. He was 86 years old.

Norris was an icon and archetype for the American tough guy. But unlike so many of his counterparts, like Steven Segal, he was really about that life.

He was the first American to earn an eighth-degree black belt in Taekwondo. Some believe he may have been the first person to do so in the Western Hemisphere. He also held black belts of various degrees in Judo, Jiu-Jitsu, Tang Soo Do, and in his own discipline, known as Chun Kuk Do. Norris even famously starred alongside and sparred with the illustrious Bruce Lee.

But if you grew up in the 1990s as I did, Norris was the embodiment of truth, justice, and honor as Walker, Texas Ranger, for nine seasons.

Some of my fondest memories are with that show playing in the background. My grandfather, known affectionately as Spud, loved Walker, Texas Ranger. Spud was an accomplished judoka, having learned the art of Judo while stationed in Japan in the 1950s.

When we would watch Chuck Norris beat the living hell out of criminals as Walker, Spud would use the show as an opportunity to show his grandson some moves right there in the living room. To me, it was just fun and games, roughhousing with Grandpa in the living room. But he was trying to lay the foundational building blocks of discipline, physical fitness, and self-defense for his grandson.

Because of that, when I think of Chuck Norris, I also think of my grandfather and the example he set for me. I’m sure this parasocial relationship I have with Norris is shared with many men of my generation. He exemplified what a noble man should look like through the lens of a tube TV.

Years later, I was a student at Colorado Springs Christian School, and I was given an assignment: a report on someone famous who lived their life according to the teachings of Jesus Christ. I knew immediately who I was reporting on.

In front of my Bible teacher and my peers, I shared many of Norris’ achievements and accolades and how they related to his faith in Jesus. I thought I had a solid presentation until my teacher said, “Javan, the whole point of this assignment was to study someone who had lived their entire life for the Lord, meaning they’re dead.”

Without missing a beat, I hit this lady with a quintessential, mid-2000s Chuck Norris joke.

“Oh, Ms. Kneifel. You must not have heard, Chuck Norris died ten years ago, but the Grim Reaper was too afraid to tell him.”

The joke got a big laugh, and my grade was saved.

Some seventeen years later, it’s sad that the joke is no longer. We lost a juggernaut. A figure that was larger than life has finally succumbed to his own mortality.

We lost a man’s man.

We lost a true icon.

We lost an all-around wholesome dude.

Rest easy, Chuck. I’m sure you went down with a hell of a fight.