Who Died Today? Celebrities and Notable Figures We Lost on March 20, 2026

Millions searching “who died today” got a sobering answer on March 20, 2026: Chuck Norris, the martial-arts icon and “Walker, Texas Ranger” star, has died at 86, his family confirmed in a statement posted to Instagram the previous evening. Norris reportedly passed away on March 19 while surrounded by loved ones. The family did not disclose a cause of death but thanked fans worldwide for their prayers after recent reports of his hospitalization. Born Carlos Ray Norris on March 10, 1940, in Ryan, Oklahoma, the future action legend began learning karate during an Air Force tour in South Korea. From 1968 to 1974 he reigned as world middleweight karate champion, opening a chain of dojos in California before Hollywood took notice. His big-screen breakthrough came opposite Bruce Lee in 1972’s “The Way of the Dragon,” whose Roman-Colosseum showdown is still hailed as one of cinema’s greatest fight scenes. Throughout the 1980s Norris headlined a string of box-office hits—“Missing in Action,” “Invasion U.S.A.,” “The Delta Force”—that cemented his reputation as America’s stoic one-man army. In 1993 he shifted to television, fronting the nine-season CBS juggernaut “Walker, Texas Ranger,” which syndicated in more than 100 countries and introduced Norris to a new generation. The 2000s turned him into an internet folk hero thanks to viral “Chuck Norris Facts,” tongue-in-cheek memes extolling his mythical toughness: “Chuck Norris doesn’t sleep—he waits.” The jokes helped keep him culturally relevant long after he stepped back from acting, culminating in a cameo as lone-wolf mercenary Booker in 2012’s “The Expendables 2.” Away from the spotlight, Norris was an outspoken conservative activist, a martial-arts philanthropist and a devoted family man. He is survived by his wife, Gena O’Kelley, five children—Mike, Eric, Dina, and twins Dakota and Danilee—and numerous grandchildren. Key milestones in Chuck Norris’s life • 1962: Joins the U.S. Air Force; discovers Tang Soo Do karate in South Korea. • 1968–1974: Holds the world middleweight karate championship for six consecutive years. • 1972: Faces Bruce Lee in “The Way of the Dragon,” launching his film career. • 1984–1986: Stars in “Missing in Action,” “Code of Silence,” “Invasion U.S.A.” and “The Delta Force.” • 1993–2001: Leads “Walker, Texas Ranger” on CBS. • 2005–present: Becomes the subject of global “Chuck Norris Facts” meme culture. • 2026: Dies at age 86, sparking worldwide tributes and a surge in searches for “who died today.” Funeral plans have not yet been announced, but fans continue to flood social media with condolences, classic movie clips and their favorite Norris “facts,” ensuring that the man who once decided what time it is will be remembered well beyond his final roundhouse kick.