After the death of an artist, audiences tend to find new meaning in their work.

On Thursday, March 19, 2026, it was announced that famous Western actor Chuck Norris had died at the age of 86. He passed away surrounded by his family after being hospitalized in Hawaii. His cause of death is still unknown, but his family has expressed a desire to maintain their privacy at this time.

After Norris’ death was announced, nostalgic viewers went to their trusty streaming platforms in search of Norris’ hit show, Walker, Texas Ranger​​​​​​. Within a day of his death, the western crime show became the third most-streamed series in the United States and the number one most-streamed show in the United Kingdom on Apple TV, according to Flix Patrol.

In a social media post announcing the death, the actor and martial artist was described as a “devoted husband, a loving father and grandfather, and an incredible brother, and the heart of our family” by those closest to him. His family thanked everyone for their “prayers and support” in their statement.

As a martial artist, he won the World Professional Middleweight Karate Championship and the All-American Karate Championship. He was also a veteran of the United States Air Force. Once he broke into acting, he appeared in several movies, including The Way of the Dragon, Breaker! Breaker!, and Missing in Action.

Norris is most known for his starring role as Cordell Walker in the nine seasons of Walker, Texas Ranger. The show aired from 1993 to 2001, and he shared many similarities with his character, including his status as a veteran. Only four years after the series ended, Norris’ character reappeared in the film Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire.

Chuck and his brother, Aaron Norris, also created a spinoff series in 1999 called Sons of Thunder, which only aired six episodes. Most recently, in 2024, Chuck starred in his final movie, Agent Recon, where he portrayed the captain of an alien-fighting team of the Earth’s security force.

In 2021, Walker, Texas Ranger got a reboot starring Supernatural‘s Jared Padalecki. Walker continued the story of Corey Walker, now played by Padalecki, and Norris gave the series his blessing. He will also live on in the hearts of millennials who have turned him into a celebrity meme.

Chuck Norris is survived by his wife O’Kelley, his kids Mike, Eric, Dakota, Danilee, and Dina, and his grandchildren. Audiences should also be on the lookout for the movie Zombie Plane​​​​​, which is in post-production and should premiere later this year, where Norris appears as himself.