When I was a youngster, my cousin Josephine was dating a very impressive young man in the neighborhood. His name was Wieland Norris, and he was a rising martial arts star.

But he died while serving in Vietnam, killed during an ambush. Even so, he managed to save the lives of his platoon mates by his bravery. He earned a Silver Star and a Purple Heart posthumously.

You know him as the brother of Chuck Norris. Chuck later dedicated all his ‘Missing In Action’ films to Wieland.

When this happened back in 1970, I didn’t know anything about Chuck Norris. I just knew about Wieland, and his talent and bravery. It was shocking that someone so strong and valiant could leave us so suddenly.

I thought the same thing when I learned of Chuck Norris’s death this week. People like him seem invincible. But, like the rest of us, they only have a short allotted time with us. We admire them because they tried to make the most of it. And, if we’re lucky, they give us inspiration to try to do the same.