Chuck Norris is an American actor, martial artist, film producer, and screenwriter. He is most known for his role as Walker in the film series “Walker, Texas Ranger” and for his roles in about 20 other action films. In his lengthy life, he has accomplished a great deal, including creating his own martial art form and starring in a series that has received critical praise on a global scale.

But despite his previous success in Hollywood, Chuck has had more than his share of hardships throughout his life. And two of the ladies in his life—his wife, Gena O’Russell, and his mother, Wilma Norris—have been instrumental in helping him get through this difficult time. Chuck and his wife celebrated their 22nd wedding anniversary in November of 2020, and he sent a heartfelt message on Instagram to commemorate the occasion. In it, he referred to himself as “the happiest guy in the world when Gena and (he) were married,” and then he went on to say: “I’ve never been happier in my life.”

“I hope you have a wonderful anniversary, my lovely wife! There are no words that can adequately express the depth of my love and gratitude for you. I am grateful that you have allowed me to be a part of your life. I give thanks to God for each new day that we get to spend together.”

The wonderful actor, who will age 82 years old in May 2022, is fortunate to have the support of his mother, who will turn 101 years old in May 2022. Wilma has not only had a long and interesting life, but she was also the primary caregiver for Chuck and his two brothers when their father abandoned the family when they were young. There were other challenges that the family faced, but by sticking together, they were able to overcome them.

Chuck has discussed his mother’s impact in the past, and he even disclosed in the year 2020 that while he was struggling to find his way in Hollywood, his mother prayed for him to find a wife and persevere, and he was able to do both of those things. Let’s have a peek.

Chuck has never been one to avoid discussing the challenging circumstances that his family has endured in the past. In point of fact, he once disclosed the truth that Wilma first started having difficulties when she was just 8 years old. Back then, she was given a diagnosis of an extremely uncommon illness, which forced her to spend the next two years in isolation at a children’s hospital, away from her loved ones.

During the Great Depression, her family lived in such abject poverty that as soon as she had fully healed at the age of ten, she was had to get a job in order to provide for her family. She didn’t attend to school as other kids her age did; instead, she worked odd jobs, including picking cotton in the rural area of Wilson, Oklahoma, where her family resided. Eventually, she dropped out of school. In an interview with WorldNetDaily in the year 2020, Chuck elaborated on the following points:

When they were through harvesting one field, they would often relocate to a different town to harvest another field. Life in the Dust Bowl was not an easy one, particularly during the decade when the United States was in the midst of the Great Depression.”

Wilma had already met and married Chuck’s father by the time she was 16 years old, and she gave birth to Chuck when she was 18 years old. She gave birth to two more kids, but then Ray Dee, Chuck’s dad, deserted the family, leaving her to raise her sons on her own. She had to do this despite the fact that she had just given birth to them.

The birth of Chuck was a traumatic experience for both Chuck and Wilma, but it was also the event that cemented their relationship for all time. Chuck disclosed this information in an essay he published in 2020 to coincide with his 80th birthday. He said that he was born after seven days of labor and that he appeared “bluish-purple from chronic oxygen deprivation” when he was delivered. He said that he and his mother “nearly didn’t make it,” meaning that they were both very close to passing away.

“During the first five days of my existence, the medical professionals and other individuals were not certain that I would survive. My mother still retains a letter written by my grandmother to my aunt and dated the same week that it was delivered. In it, my grandmother states that “Wilma’s baby is probably not going to survive.” But we were able to shock everyone!”

They were able to astonish the whole globe. Chuck mentioned the following while he was speaking with the Christian Post:

“Throughout her whole life, Mom has been a role model for steadfastness and faith. In addition, she has borne the loss of her two husbands, a stepson, two grandsons, and my younger brother Wieland, all of whom passed away as a result of the Vietnam War. She has been diagnosed with cancer on many occasions and has had around 30 different operations for a variety of conditions; nonetheless, she is still alive to tell about it.

In addition to this, Chuck attributes his success in overcoming difficulties in his own life to the prayers that his mother said for him. He added:

“Throughout the ups and downs of my life, my mother has never stopped praying for me. Due to problems during my delivery, I came very close to not making it. A number of decades ago, when I came dangerously close to losing my soul to Hollywood, she was back at home praying for my prosperity and salvation. She even prayed for me to meet a lady who would transform my life, and it turned out that her prayers were answered.

The connection that exists between Chuck and Wilma is undeniably one that is extremely unique, and the two of them have always been there for one another in times of need. The actor is extraordinarily fortunate to not only to have the company of his cherished mother, who is now 100 years old, but also to have the love and support of the other most significant lady in his life, who is his wife.

Wilma celebrated her 101st birthday in May of 2022, which is quite an accomplishment in and of itself. In order to commemorate the event and pay tribute to one of the most significant ladies in Chuck’s life, he posted a picture of the woman on his Facebook account along with the following caption:

“Have a wonderful birthday, Mom!” 101 years in the YOUNG! WOW! There are no words that can adequately express the depth of my affection and gratitude for you. We are grateful to you for everything that you have done for us during the many years that God has granted us to be together.

Wilma has had a great life, but she shows no sign of slowing down in her latter years. In 2011, she published a book named “Acts of Kindness, My Story,” which was a memoir about her life. In the book, she discussed her childhood as well as how she brought up her boys. She sat down for an interview with Mike Huckabee in 2012, when she was marketing the book, and over the course of the conversation, she discussed her family, her religion, and the “secrets” she employed as a mother to raise her kids to be honorable men. She said to Huckabee,

“I guarded them in the church. Sunday school, a class that I used to teach, and in which we regularly prayed throughout the day. My spiritual life was something that I placed a high priority on. Even now, it is.”

When Wilma was asked by Huckabee what piece of advise she would offer to a young mother on how to best raise her children, she responded with the following words of wisdom:

I would advise you to show them a great deal of affection, but also to educate them and to bring them to worship services and Sunday school.

After that, Wilma started getting all emotional. “But you have to realize that God did not give us our children; rather, he lent them to us for a certain period of time. You should know that I will be seeing mine very soon. I am unsure of the time frame, “she added with a chuckle on her face. Huckabee chuckled and said that Wilma was “stronger than most of us,” referring to the other people in the room. Wilma is undeniably an amazing woman, as shown by the fact that she has already celebrated her 101st birthday and is already looking forward to her 102nd birthday in May 2023.