Chad McQueen, Son of Steve McQueen and Dutch in “Karate Kid”, Dies at 63: ‘The McQueen Legacy Is One of a Kind’

The avid race car driver died Sept. 11 in California

Chad McQueen, the son of the late racing and acting legend Steve McQueen, has died in California. He was 63.

The Karate Kid actor and race car driver died Wednesday, Sept. 11, in Palm Springs. His family confirmed his death the following day in a statement posted to Chad and Steve's separate Instagram accounts.

“It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our father Chad McQueen,” began the statement from his wife, Jeanie, and their two kids.

Chad famously played Dutch in 1984’s The Karate Kid and reprised the role two years later in The Karate Kid Part II. He also starred in Death Ring, Firepower and Red Line before leaving the movie industry to pursue sports car racing starting in the 1990s. He made one final appearance in 2001's Fall: The Price of Silence.

In 1993, Chad married Jeanie Galbraith and they eventually welcomed Chase and Madison.

“His remarkable journey as a loving father to us, along with his unwavering commitment to our mother, truly exemplified a life filled with love and dedication,” they continued. “His passion for racing not only highlighted his exceptional talent, but also served as a way to honor his father’s legacy, a testament to the values instilled in him.”

They added, “He passed his passion, knowledge and dedication down to us and we will continue not only his legacy but our grandfathers as well.”

Chad was very close to his father, who died of cancer in 1980 at age 50.

"A lot of my values are like my dad’s,” Chad told PEOPLE in 1996. “I try to be quiet like him. Growing up, I didn’t understand his distrust of people. But getting older, I do now.”

In 2010, Chad founded McQueen Racing, which builds custom high-performance cars, just four years after surviving a near-fatal crash while training for the 24 Hours of Daytona race.

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On Thursday, his family concluded their statement by writing, “As a family we need to navigate this difficult time and we kindly ask for privacy as we remember and celebrate his extraordinary life.”

Tributes from friends started appearing on social media after the announcement, including from Fast N' Loud star Richard Rawlings.

“I just heard the terrible news of Chad McQueen's passing,” Rowlings wrote on Facebook. “The McQueen legacy is one of a kind, and Chad kept that cool, fearless spirit alive. From the entire GMG squad, our thoughts are with the McQueen family. Rest easy, Chad."

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