Brooke Hogan is breaking her silence in a heartfelt tribute to her beloved father, Hulk Hogan, who tragically passed away on Thursday. The 37-year-old former reality TV star took to social media on Tuesday, July 29th, to pen an emotional, detailed message about her father, whose real name was Terry Bollea. In her lengthy Instagram post, Brooke shed light on her father's health struggles over the past few years and set the record straight regarding her estrangement from Hulk.
She began by reflecting on her profound "bond" with her father. "When he left this earth, it felt as if a part of my very essence vanished with him. I sensed his departure before the news even reached our doorsteps," Brooke wrote. "... I am certain that he is now at peace, free from pain, residing in a realm as magnificent as he had envisioned. He often spoke of this moment with awe and anticipation, as if meeting God was the ultimate championship he had ever dreamed of winning."
Then, acknowledging the need to clarify some matters, Brooke explained that their estrangement was not the result of a single fight or fleeting moment. "It stemmed from a series of private phone conversations that no one else will ever hear, comprehend, or know about," she revealed. "My father confided in me about the heavy burdens weighing on his heart, both personal and professional. I offered myself as a beacon of support, in whatever capacity he required. I assured him of my unwavering backing and beseeched him to rest and take care of himself."
Brooke recounted how she and her husband, former NHL player Steven Olesky, had relocated to Florida to be closer to Hulk amidst his health battles. "We endured nearly 25 surgeries together, but suddenly, he no longer wanted me by his side during them... a thick veil began to shroud everything. It was as if an impenetrable force field surrounded him," she shared.
"He was opening up to me, being incredibly vulnerable, and acknowledging my pleas, but then something drastically shifted, and he chose a path that visibly tore at his soul," she continued. "I felt a growing detachment. What followed were respectful disagreements that took an immense emotional toll on me."
"Over the last two years, I had to step back to safeguard my heart," she confessed. During that period, Olesky remained in contact with Hulk, unbeknownst to Brooke, "trying to pave a safe path back for me. After my father's passing, I read those messages—some replied to, some left unanswered... each one shattered my heart," she revealed.
"Deep down, I know I did everything within my power," Brooke affirmed. "He understood that I would rush into a burning building for him. And in numerous ways throughout our lives, I did just that. He knows the profound, unwavering, and pure love I had for him. And I am at peace knowing this truth."
The post follows five days after emergency services were dispatched to Hogan's home in Clearwater Beach, Florida, at 9:51 a.m. local time, as confirmed by dispatch logs obtained by PEOPLE magazine.
The WWE legend is also survived by his son, Nick Hogan, whom he shared with Brooke's mother and his ex-wife, Linda. Brooke, who rose to fame alongside her family on the reality show Hogan Knows Best from 2005 to 2007, did not attend his wedding to his third wife, Sky Daily, in September 2023.
Her estrangement from the family was the subject of an Instagram Story posted by her mother, Linda, in March 2025. "Brooke doesn't talk to us. She had twins, she got married, and she didn't tell us," Linda, 65, revealed in the story.
Since stepping away from the Hogan family limelight, Brooke has ventured into the world of design, launching BB Designs by Brooke in 2018. Brooke tied the knot with Olesky in 2022, keeping their relationship relatively low-key and announcing the birth of their fraternal twins, Oliver Andrew and Molly Gene, in January 2025.
In addition to Brooke's heartfelt tribute, other celebrities such as Dwayne Johnson, Sylvester Stallone, and John Cena have also shared messages honoring Hogan and offering their condolences.
