For as long as human beings continue to walk the earth, there will never be another one quite like Chuck Norris . The martial-arts legend/Hollywood action star is quite literally revered all over the globe.
But shortly after Chuck appeared in The Expendables 2 , he quietly left Hollywood for good. It’s now been revealed, after years of speculation, that his reason for doing so was so that he properly care and attend to his sick wife .
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Chuck Norris is one of the most iconic Hollywood action heroes of all time.
Chuck first made a name for himself after his friend and fellow martial-arts legend, Bruce Lee, offered him the role of one of the main villains in 1972’s Way of the Dragon .
He starred in several martial-arts films throughout the ’80s and became known as “The Blonde Bruce Lee.”
Norris’ most iconic role, however, didn’t come until the early ’90s after he was cast to play Cordell Walker in the western-themed martial-arts-inspired drama — Walker, Texas Ranger .
Chuck has also inspired hundreds, if not thousands, of “Chuck Norris Jokes.”
“Millions of children check under their bed at night for the Boogeyman — the Boogeyman checks under his bed for Chuck Norris .”
“When Chuck Norris was born, the only person who cried was the doctor. You don’t slap Chuck Norris and get away with it.”
And so on and so forth…
Chuck Norris fans are nothing if not loyal, which is why so many were perplexed when the martial-arts star seemingly walked away from Hollywood.
Now, after years spent wondering, it appears that we finally have our answer as to why Chuck hung up his spurs. He didn’t leave because he got bored or because he was too old — he left to take care of his ailing wife.
“I’ve given up my film career to concentrate on Gena,” Norris explained to ‘Good Health’. “My whole life right now is about keeping her alive.”
Gena had been suffering from nerve pain and kidney problems and went to get an MRI scan to shed light on the issue back in 2013. After being injected with the MRI dye, Gena began experiencing incredible pain.
“Within hours after the first jab, I felt like my whole body was on fire — as if acid had been passed through it,” Gena said.
Gena went on to say that the burning sensation was isolated at first, but then quickly began to spread throughout her whole body.
Other, equally scary symptoms came alongside the burning.
Gena reported “horrible brain damage,” memory issues, trouble speaking properly, and being so hypermetabolic that her entire body was just “tremoring”.
The family saw doctor after doctor trying to figure out what was wrong, but it wasn’t until Chuck found an integrative doctor in Reno, Nevada, that she started receiving targeted treatment.
She was bedridden and hooked up to an IV for five whole months.
According to Gena, she required round-the-clock care and attention. “Chuck slept beside me on the couch and never left,” she told Good Health . “I prayed that I would live to raise my children .”
Not only did Gena’s condition require constant attention, but it also cost the couple a small fortune in order to fight it.
Chuck and Gena claim to have spent roughly $2 million fighting her illness, which was reportedly caused by a bad reaction to gadolinium.
Gadolinium is used as a contrast agent, in order to help doctors be able to see abnormal tissue in MRI scans.
According to InsiderRadiology , gadolinium is used in roughly 1/3 of all MRI scans, worldwide. “It’s infuriating and heartbreaking — it’s a vicious, ugly secret that has been kept hidden — something Chuck and I are determined to change ,” Gena stated proudly.
The two have filed lawsuits against 11 healthcare companies that manufacture and distribute gadolinium.
This was done back in 2017, wherein they sought $10 million in damages, saying these companies should be more forthright about the risks involved with the drug.
At the time, the Norrises’ attorney, Todd Walburg, said that the couple’s lawsuit is “one of many cases” that his law firm, Cutter Law, was filing against MRI contrast manufacturers.
Thanks to Chuck and Gena’s tireless efforts, the couple has been able to enact real change.
In 2017, the FDA passed legislation that mandated warnings be placed on all GBCAs (Gadolinium-Based Contracting Agents) in order to alert patients of their potential harm.
Chuck also expressed how lucky they are to be able to treat Gena at all.
In an essay he wrote about the matter, saying the FDA “has still not approved the most common gadolinium removal treatment, chelation, which patients must seek out and pay for themselves.”
“We are fortunate that we have the resources to treat Gena, but millions are not so fortunate […].”
The past decade hasn’t been an easy one, but Gena is now finally starting to feel like her old self.
It’s ironic to think that Chuck’s greatest battle didn’t come at the hands of Bruce Lee or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Rather, it was the fight to save his wife’s life that truly tested his mettle beyond all compare.
