For almost three decades, Chuck Norris had no idea that he had fathered a secret daughter.
The legendary actor, who died aged 86 following a sudden medical emergency in Hawaii, welcomed five children in his lifetime.
But for 26 years, Norris had zero knowledge of the existence of his oldest daughter, Dina Norris, until she made contact.
Dina was born following an extra-marital affair during the Hollywood star’s first marriage to his childhood sweetheart, Dianne Holechek.
Norris married Holechek in 1958 when he was 18 and she was 17. They welcomed their first child, son Mike Norris, in 1962.
Three years later, in 1965, the pair became parents again when their second son, Eric Norris, was born.
In between that time, however, Norris strayed while serving in the United States Air Force in 1963 and he fathered a daughter with another woman. He was unaware that the woman, Johanna, had become pregnant.
That all changed in 1991, when his biological daughter, Dina, reached out to him.
Chuck Norris went almost three decades without knowing he fathered a daughter
The Hollywood star welcomed Dina in 1963, although she didn’t reach out until 1991. The father and daughter in Kauai in 2015
‘I was going through my mail at home, and I see this letter and I open it up,’ Norris told Entertainment Tonight in 2004 of how they came to be connected, as per People.
‘It’s from Dina… and she says, “I’m your daughter from a past experience,” and she said, “I found out you were my father when I was 16, but my mother said you were married and we shouldn’t interfere with your family.”‘
Although he was reluctant to meet, the pair eventually came face to face.
In his 2004 memoir Against All Odds: My Story, Norris revealed that he had read the contents of Dina’s letter to his mother, who agreed to meet with her before he did.
The first meeting took place at Norris’s mother’s home and it was not long before she called him up and urged him to come over right away.
In his autobiography, he recounted that he was so nervous to meet Dina that he brought his brother for support.
‘I walked into the living room and nearly had my breath knocked out of me,’ he penned. ‘There, standing before me, was a beautiful young lady. I was stunned, but the moment I saw her, I knew.
‘I didn’t need DNA or blood tests; there was no doubt in my mind that she was my daughter.’
High-school sweethearts Norris and his first wife, Dianne, married in 1958 (above, in 1978)
Norris and Holechek split in 1988 after 30 years of marriage
Norris recalled how the pair hugged and both started crying.
‘At that moment, it was as if I had known her all of her life,’ he said.
Norris later learned that Dina had decided to reach out after reading that he was divorced.
‘It was then that she decided to write to me with the approval of her husband, Damien,’ he wrote.
The father and daughter also managed to forge a relationship, and he proudly stated that Dina’s family became a ‘blessed part of his life.’
‘I am blessed to have her as my daughter,’ he said. ‘Certainly, I know now that God does not condone premarital or extramarital sexual relationships. But I’ve also discovered that there is no such thing as an “illegitimate child.”
‘Every baby is legitimate in God’s eyes; every child is precious in his sight.’
As for his love life, Norris and Holechek split in 1988 after 30 years of marriage. They finalized their divorce one year later.
Norris and married his second wife Gena in 1998. The couple had twins in 2001
The couple with their 24-year-old twin children, Dakota and Danilee, on a beach last year
A decade later, in 1998, he went on to marry his second wife, Gena O’Kelley. Together, the couple had twins, Dakota and Danilee, both 24, in 2001.
Martial arts icon Norris died on the morning of March 19, his family announced in a post on Instagram.
‘It is with heavy hearts that our family shares the sudden passing of our beloved Chuck Norris yesterday morning,’ they said in a statement.
‘While we would like to keep the circumstances private, please know that he was surrounded by his family and at peace.’
It is unclear what medical emergency the actor suffered.
His family paid tribute to Norris as a ‘devoted husband, a loving father and grandfather, an incredible brother, and the heart of our family.’
‘He lived his life with faith, purpose, and an unwavering commitment to the people he loved,’ their statement said.
‘Through his work, discipline, and kindness, he inspired millions around the world and left a lasting impact on so many lives.’
Norris was best known for action roles, including Walker, Texas Ranger and The Delta Force, in the 1980s, before he became a cult figure on social media in his later years.
The actor was a renowned martial artist and fitness guru. Earlier this month, he celebrated his birthday by sharing a video of himself staying fit in a training session.
The star captioned the clip: ‘I don’t age. I level up. I’m 86 today!
‘Nothing like some playful action on a sunny day to make you feel young. I’m grateful for another year, good health, and the chance to keep doing what I love.
‘Thank you all for being the best fans in the world. Your support through the years has meant more to me than you’ll ever know. God Bless, Chuck Norris.’
Norris had largely stayed out of acting roles in his later years but made minor cameos in action flicks, including The Expendables 2.
In the decades after his action-movie success, Norris became a well-known meme on social media, with people parodying his tough-guy image.
