W W W . S A I N T E R S E C T I O N . O R G
2
� M A Y 2 O 1 5
NORRIS
CHRISTIAN
RANGER
Chuck is also a born-again Christian.
He is not ashamed to
talk about his checkered past and the road that led to his encounter
with Jesus Christ.
Born Carlos Ray in 1940 in Ryan, Oklahoma,
he later picked
up the nickname "Chuck," given to him by a barrack-mate during
Air Force boot camp. Chuck grew up with an absentee, alcoholic
father, which he says greatly infl uenced his poor self-image.
Ironically, given his persona today, he grew up shy and not the
least bit athletic.
He eventually overcame each trait by immersing himself in
martial arts and later acting.
Chuck earned his fi rst World
Middleweight Karate Championship title in 1968. Proving to be one
of the greatest fi ghters in martial arts, he defended this title fi ve
more times. His martial arts success caught the attention of
Hollywood, and he starred in several feature fi lms, such as Return
of the Dragon and Missing in Action. He became known to another
generation for his long-running television series, Walker: Texas
Ranger.
But things were not always rosy for Chuck Norris.
"I'm fl attered and amazed by the way I've become a fascinating
public fi gure for a whole new generation of young people around
the world. But I am not the characters I play. And even the toughest
characters I have played could never measure up to the real power
in this universe," Chuck shared at the 2015 National Religious
Broadcasters Convention, in Nashville, Tennessee.
Chuck and his fi rst wife, Dianne, ended their 30-year
marriage in 1988.
Together they had two children. An extramari-
tal affair in 1964 produced a daughter, whom he would not even
meet until she turned 26. By 1988, he admitted, his life was "in a
totally different place, and far, far away from God."
T
here's no denying that Chuck Norris has gotten
a kick out of life. He is an international celeb-
rity known for impressive accomplishments as
a martial arts master, movie and TV star and
author of several best-selling books.
This report drawn from the appearance of Chuck and Gena Norris at
the 2015 National Religious Broadcasters Convention, in Nashville, TN.
Photos by CBS Photo Ar
chive