The Story of Chuck Norris Who Never Left His Wife’s Side for 5 Months and Brought Her Back to Life
Chuck Norris plays tough and masculine characters in movies — he’s a martial artist and a black belt in Tang Soo Do, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and judo. But in real life, he’s a loving and caring husband who is ready to do anything for his significant other.
At CHEERY, we decided to find out what happened to Chuck’s wife making him leave his successful career, and would like to tell you about his touching love story.
Chuck Norris and Gena O’Kelley met while filming a TV series in 1997. The two hit it off, and Chuck invited Gena to Texas to spend more time together. They were only friends at first, but later started dating. The 23-year age difference never deterred them from pursuing a romance with one another. In 1998, just a year after they had met, they got married, and in 2001, they welcomed twins Dakota Alan and Danilee Kelly.
The action movie star continued to act in successful projects, like Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire and The Expendables 2, and appeared in commercials for banks and computer games. But in 2013, a sad event happened in their family. Gena was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. She was required to go through some tests like an MRI scan, and when she was injected with a special substance, she suddenly felt very sick.
Gena started feeling burning sensations on parts of her body, “It’s like somebody’s poured acid on your tissues.” After that, she became a regular at hospitals. “I was in the emergency room for 5 or 6 nights in a row and the symptoms were getting worse, the burning sensation continued to spread throughout my body.” Five months later, Gena was unable neither to eat nor to take care of herself properly. She had speech and memory issues.
It was never on Chuck’s mind to leave his wife alone in this dire situation, he surrounded her with love and care and abandoned his career. “I’ve given up my film career to concentrate on Gena, my whole life right now is about keeping her alive. I believe this issue is so important.” He never left his wife’s side who was bedridden and read 17 books to her on her journey through recovery. “Chuck slept beside me on the couch and never left. I prayed that I would live to raise my children,” Gena said.
The family spent $2 million on treatments. They concluded that Gena’s health problems were caused by gadolinium poisoning. Gena was injected with this substance 3 times during her tests. She only felt better after prolonged treatment in a Nevada clinic.
Chuck and Gena had to go through a literal nightmare. The actor once confessed that he was scared to death. But there is always light at the end of the tunnel, and Gena eventually managed to recover. Chuck said, “There are no words to describe my love and appreciation for you. Thank you for sharing your life with me. I praise God for every day we are together.”
Currently, Chuck and Gena live at a ranch near Navasota, Texas. They produce bottled water and donate a portion of the funds toward the environment and charity. Their twins, Dakota Alan and Danilee Kelly, followed in their father’s footsteps — they practice martial arts and have received a black belt. Dakota Alan is also a 5-time UFAF champion.
Despite the fact that Chuck and Gena were criticized for their big age difference, they’ve proved that they are a truly loving couple. Chuck says, “Gena’s more than my wife. She’s also my best friend and business partner. We are blessed to live, love, and work together.”
What would you do for your loved ones? Tell us in the comments below.