‘We will miss him’: Kauaʻi community mourns death of part-time island resident and Hollywood icon Chuck Norris

Chuck Norris was known globally for his roles in action films and the long-running television series “Walker, Texas Ranger,” but during recent years he had spent part of his time living a quieter life on the Garden Island.

In 2007, Norris and his wife Gena O’Kelley Norris bought a 9.5 acre home for $7 million in Kīlauea on the North Shore.

The Kauaʻi community and the world learned Friday about Norrisʻ sudden and unexpected death on Thursday, after being hospitalized the day before at Wilcox Medical Center in Līhuʻe.

Duncan and Madelyn Forgey, longtime members of Wai’oli Hui’ia Church in Hanalei, said Norris and his wife would sometimes show up on Sundays for mass.

“He was just one of us,” Duncan Forgey said.

He added that he had “heard on the radio just now, that if you could describe Chuck Norris in one word, what would it be?”

Duncan Forgey said: “R-E-A-L, real, he was a real person, he wasn’t anything else other than Chuck Norris, that’s it all wrapped up in one.”

Madelyn Forgey added: “We want to believe that they had a little place in their heart for our little church.”

“We will miss him,” Duncan Forgey said.

Norris died only a few days after celebrating his 86th birthday on March 10, when he shared a video on his social platforms showing him sparring and saying how great he felt and how happy he was to be in good health.

Neighbor Sophia Hoffman, a former barista at Kai Coffee in Kīlauea, recalled regular visits from Norris’ wife, whom she described as “the sweetest person in the world.”

“She looks at everybody as a full individual,” Hoffman said. “She cares about your personal life, even when she’s just buying coffee.”

Hoffman said she saw Chuck Norris only a couple of times, but those brief encounters left an impression. “He was just so chill,” she said. “All he wanted to do was talk about his necklace and just hang out.”

News of his death spread rapidly online. For years, Norris and his tough-guy persona have been at the center of exaggerated, humorous “Chuck Norris facts” that portray him as virtually indestructible.

“He went to Wilcox to save 86 people,” Hoffman said jokingly.

Despite the neighbors’ lighthearted tone, residents on Kauaʻi described a sense of loss over someone they saw as part of the community.

“He’s kind of a legend. My condolences to his family. We’re all grateful for everything he contributed to the community and the world,” said Kīlauea resident and neighbor Nancy Bean on Friday. “Blessings on his family.”

Hoffman added: “It’s heartbreaking. He leaves behind a legacy that not many people can compare to.”

She also shared a message for Norris’s wife and family: “We love them so much. Theyʻre such a light in this community. I just hope that his wife is finding so much comfort with her family right now and that they can all take solace in knowing that he’s been loved by so many people all over the world.”

The cause of Norris’ death has not yet been disclosed, and funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.