On Tuesday, August 5, Hulk Hogan was laid to rest in a solemn yet intimate ceremony held at Sylvan Abbey Memorial Park & Funeral Home in Clearwater, Florida, twelve days after succumbing to a heart attack. Gathered to pay their respects and celebrate the life of the beloved WWE legend were his family, friends, and fellow wrestling icons. Terry Gene Bollea, better known as Hulk Hogan, passed away at the age of 71 on July 24.
The funeral service was a poignant tribute to Hogan's life, held in the city where he resided with his wife, Sky Daily. Attendees, dressed in black suits adorned with orange boutonnieres, solemnly carried his casket into the funeral home, reflecting the vibrant spirit for which Hogan was renowned.
Prior to the service, former WWE star Triple H, real name Paul Michael Levesque, was spotted disembarking from a private jet alongside Stephanie McMahon, who until recently served as WWE's co-CEO. Singer Kid Rock and comedian Theo Von were also among the attendees, paying homage to the wrestling legend.
Confirming Hogan's passing on July 31, PEOPLE revealed that he died of an acute myocardial infarction, commonly referred to as a heart attack. Medical records obtained by PEOPLE further disclosed that Hogan had a history of leukemia, a previously undisclosed cancer that affects white blood cells, as well as atrial fibrillation, a condition characterized by irregular heartbeat. According to the records, Hogan was to be cremated.
While the identities of all attendees at the funeral remain unknown, Hogan is survived by his third wife, Daily, who was at their home when he passed away. He was also preceded in death by two marriages: to Linda, from whom he divorced in 2009 after 23 years, and Jennifer McDaniel, whom he divorced in 2011 after nearly 11 years of marriage.
Hogan and Linda shared two children, Nick Hogan, 35, and Brooke Hogan, 37. Just three days before the funeral, Nick attended WWE's SummerSlam, where the organization honored the late wrestler. Meanwhile, Brooke, who had been estranged from her father for the past two years, including the birth of her twins with former NHL player Steven Oleksy in January, broke her silence about his passing on Instagram. She expressed her profound grief, stating, "When he left this earth, it felt like part of my spirit left with him. I felt it before the news even reached us." She continued, "I know he’s at peace now, out of pain, and in a place as beautiful as he imagined. He used to speak about this moment with such wonder and hope. Like meeting God was the greatest championship he’d ever have."
Oleksy shared with PEOPLE on Friday that despite Brooke's estrangement from her father, he had tried to maintain contact with Hogan and Nick, hoping for a possible reconciliation. He reached out to Hogan "about a month and a half after" the twins were born, expressing a desire for Hogan to meet them. However,遗憾的是, until his untimely death, Hogan never had the chance to meet his grandchildren. "I sent text messages once again to gauge where he was at, but there was no interest," Oleksy said.
