NAVASOTA, TEXAS: Hollywood legend Chuck Norris honored his beloved mother and doting wife in a heartwarming Mother's Day post. The actor and martial arts star shared a collage over the weekend of himself with his mother Wilma and his wife Gena O'Kelley, with whom he tied the knot in 1998.
The photo with his mother, which showed the 'Bells of Innocence' star leaning his head alongside her, was reportedly also used when he wished her on her 102nd birthday in May. The second photo showed Norris hugging his wife, who is also the mother of two of his five children, twenty-one-year-old twins Dakota and his sister Danilee.
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"Happy Mother's Day! To my wonderful mom Wilma and my Lovely wife Gena," Norris captioned his Facebook post. He added, "I love you both more than words can say and thank God for the two of you every day." Born as Carlos Ray Norris, the Hollywood icon is also a father to sons Michael, 60, and Eric, 57, whom he shares with ex-wife and high school sweetheart Dianne Holechek. He also has a daughter Dina, 59, with an unidentified woman.
The acclaimed action hero, who turned 83 in March, took to Facebook on May 1 to share that he was looking forward to celebrating his mother's 102nd birthday. "WOW! I can hardly believe it. My mother, Wilma Norris Knight, is 102 years young this week, on May 4. She was born in 1921," the actor gushed in a sweet tribute. "What's even more remarkable is that she is so full of life that she might make it another 100 years!" he added, before sharing a healthy dose of gratitude.
Norris added, "With my mom's birthday at one end of this week, and Mother's Day coming up the following week, I am overwhelmed with gratitude to God for three women's influence in my life. I wouldn't be the man I am without them." He further added, "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."
According to the Daily Mail, Wilma Norris Knight had a difficult upbringing as she was raised in poverty during the Great Depression ad suffered the death of two husbands, a stepson, and her own son Wieland (Chuck's younger brother) who died in the Vietnam War, as well as two grandchildren. She somehow managed to raise three sons as a single mother, battled cancer several times, and underwent about 30 surgeries during her lifetime.
Norris has previously credited his mother for instilling in him the fighting spirit that helped him realize so many of his dreams. He has also praised his grandmother Scarberry, and his wife Gina, for making him who he is today. Wilma's eldest grandson Mike shared a heartwarming video of her receiving a birthday cake. "Happy Birthday Grandma. It is an honor to be your first grandchild," he wrote. "I have revered you every day of my life. I love you so much."
Norris is a black belt in Tang Soo Do, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and Judo. He also won several martial arts championships after serving in the United States Air Force. Bruce Lee, a friend and fellow martial artist, invited Norris to play one of the main villains in the timeless classic 'Way Of The Dragon' (1972) which paved the way for Norris's Hollywood career. He went on to star in a series of independently made action films such as 'A Force Of One' (1979), 'The Octagon' (1980), and 'An Eye For An Eye' (1981), before landing bigger budget productions like the 'Missing in Action' (1984-1988) trilogy films.
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