Without a question, one of the most well-known individuals in the entertainment sector is Chuck Norris. Norris is an unstoppable force, renowned for his flawless martial arts talents as well as his work as an actor, producer, and screenwriter. However, his role as a spouse is his finest achievement.
In 1997, Norris first met his wife, Gena O’Kelley. A year later, the pair married, swiftly embarking on the next phase of their relationship. In addition to other children from past relationships, they went on to have a pair of twins together. Despite their startling 23-year age gap, it was evident that Norris and O’Kelley had a romance for the ages.
With roles in a few television series and motion pictures, including “Walker, Texas Ranger,” “The Way of the Dragon,” “Invasion U.S.A.” and “Chuck Norris: Karate Kommandos,” Norris has had a highly active and successful career. Norris became a very successful action star by putting these talents into practice and using his expertise in multiple martial arts disciplines. But when his wife was ill, he set all of it aside.
In the 2010s, Norris neglected his work for a few years to care for O’Kelley, who had several severe health problems that were all related to having numerous MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging) performed. Through thick and thin, Norris was at her side, and the two of them survived the ordeal together. They have even gone on to raise awareness of what transpired. Continue reading to learn more about this touching tale.
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After she finished a little part in a television show that he was in, Norris and O’Kelley first crossed paths in 1997. Later on, the action star made the decision to extend an invitation to her to Dallas, Texas, so they could spend some time together and get to know one another. The happy pair were married within a year after their connection swiftly blossomed into a romantic one.
Despite all of life’s challenges, the couple’s lovely relationship has endured the test of time. However, O’Kelley’s serious health issues in 2013 put their marriage to the test as she needed her husband’s assistance. Norris immediately put his profession on wait to attend to his wife’s every need.
O’Kelley’s health problems began when she had to undergo a battery of MRI scans and contrast imaging. She had to be injected with a particular kind of dye that acted as a contrast agent for the scans. This technique, which is quite popular, improves radiologists’ visibility of tissues, blood vessels, and organs. When O’Kelley asked her doctors whether she could have all the scans she needed at once, they told her that she would need to get three different scans. She would also require three injections of the dye as a result.
But when O’Kelley received the injections containing gadolinium—a heavy metal with magnetic properties—something went awry, and she became terribly ill.
(Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic/Getty images) Chuck Norris, Gena O’Kelley, Danilee Kelly, and Dakota Alan (2012)
O’Kelley had cognitive fog, muscle weakness, and nerve discomfort right after the initial injection. She clarified:
“I felt like my entire body was on fire within hours of the initial jab, as if acid had been passed through it.” At first, the fire was contained, but it continued to spread.
She became more and more anxious about the contrast agent, but she was reassured that it will leave her system in a few hours and that drinking water would help the process.
Taking Care of His Wife
Despite the physicians’ assurances that everything would be alright, Norris started to suspect a significant problem and tried to determine what to do next.
“I’m fortunate enough to have the money to take her anywhere in the world, but where do I take her?” he inquired.
He eventually managed to get in touch with a Nevada doctor. The actor put O’Kelley and her health first, abandoning all of his ongoing projects when the doctor informed him that his wife’s condition was grave. For five months, Norris stayed at O’Kelley’s side, sleeping on the couch beside her while she concentrated on getting better.
Medical professionals conducted testing and discovered that, contrary to what they had been told, O’Kelley’s body still had startling amounts of gadolinium after a few hours. In an interview with Full Measure, she clarified:
“You will notice that I remained at the level for a very, very long time, and this is in the danger zone.”
(Steve Granitz/WireImage/Getty images) Chuck Norris (2012)
A “strong association between gadolinium contrast agents and NSF” was discovered by the FDA in 2006. Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis, or NSF, is a fatal condition that thickens and tightens the skin and organs. Because individuals with weak kidneys would not be able to remove gadolinium from their bodies, the FDA placed a “black box” warning on the drug by 2007. O’Kelley, nevertheless, was not included in that group either. She and Norris are fighting for improved gadolinium regulation because of this.
When she was ill in 2017, the actor thought back on her experience.
According to WND, he stated, “It’s the helpless feeling, you know ’cause I’m kind of a take-charge guy, and then here I have something where I cannot do anything and it was horrifying.” “And I just thank God that I got my wife back, that we made it through, and that she did get better.”
He supplemented Full Measure with:
“Gadolinium is not going to make anyone sick,” Norris stated. “Those that are sensitive, like O’Kelley, are the ones. Despite taking them, I have never become ill. However, that doesn’t imply we shouldn’t take action to help the other gadolinium-stricken individuals.
In addition to spending more than $2 million on O’Kelley’s medical care, Norris has given up his acting career to concentrate on his campaign. Norris hasn’t starred in a film since O’Kelley’s illness, and he hasn’t done much on television either, making just three small appearances in recent years. He said to Good Health, as Express reported:
“My entire life at the moment is focused on keeping Gena alive, so I’ve given up my film career to focus on her.” I think this is a really serious problem.
In addition to spending more than $2 million on O’Kelley’s medical care, Norris has given up his acting career to concentrate on his campaign. Norris hasn’t starred in a film since O’Kelley’s illness, and he hasn’t done much on television either, making just three small appearances in recent years. He said to Good Health, as Express reported:
“My entire life at the moment is focused on keeping Gena alive, so I’ve given up my film career to focus on her.” I think this is a really serious problem.
