Brooke Hogan has publicly expressed her feelings for her father, the legendary WWE wrestler Hulk Hogan, following his sudden passing. The wrestling icon, whose real name was Terry Gene Bollea, died on July 24 at the age of 71 due to a cardiac event at his home in Florida. In an emotional tribute shared on Instagram, Brooke, 37, who had been estranged from her father prior to his death, addressed the complexities of their relationship.
“My dad’s blood runs through my veins. His eyes shine through my children. And our bond has never broken, not even in his final moments,” Brooke wrote in a heartfelt message with a series of written posts.
She continued, highlighting their deep connection: “We had a connection deeper than words, one that spanned lifetimes. I am so grateful I knew the real version of him. Not just the one the world viewed through a carefully curated lens. We shared a quiet, sacred bond that could be seen and felt by anyone who witnessed us together. When he left this earth, it felt like part of my spirit left with him. I felt it before the news even reached us.”
Brooke recounted her father’s belief that they would reunite: “He used to remind me, ‘All of this is temporary and I’ll always find my way back to you. I truly believe that – we will find each other in every lifetime.'” She expressed comfort in knowing he is finally at peace and described his visions of the afterlife: “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.”
In her tribute, Brooke sought to clarify misconceptions about their relationship that have circulated in the media. “We never had a ‘big fight.’ My father and I never ‘fought.’ It was a series of private phone calls no one will ever hear, know, or understand,” she stated. She added that these conversations were filled with her father’s vulnerabilities, ranging from personal struggles to business concerns.
Brooke also revealed that she had moved to Florida with her husband, former NHL player Steven Olesky, to be closer to Hulk amid his health issues. “We had been through almost 25 surgeries together, and then all of a sudden he didn’t want me at surgeries…everything started getting covered in a thick veil,” she recalled. “It was like there was a force field around him that I couldn’t get through.”
Despite maintaining a connection through her husband, who was reaching out to Hulk, Brooke admitted to feeling a disconnect as their relationship changed: “What followed were respectful disagreements that took an emotional toll on me. During the last two years, I had to step away to protect my heart.”
After Hulk’s passing, Brooke reflected on her efforts to maintain their bond, stating, “I know in my heart I did everything I could. He knew I would run through a burning building for him. And in many ways, along the path of life, I did. He knows how deeply, how hard and how purely I loved him. I am at peace knowing this.” She concluded her tribute with a note of gratitude for her family: “My world is forever changed. But I’m deeply blessed with a loving husband and two beautiful children who remind me every day of life’s greatest gifts.”
Brooke and Olesky, who were married in 2022, welcomed fraternal twins, named Oliver Andrew and Molly Gene, in January 2025. Hulk Hogan shared Brooke and her brother Nick, 35, with his ex-wife Linda Hogan. The couple, who married in 1983, separated in 2007 and finalized their divorce in 2009. Their family dynamics were captured in the reality show “Hogan Knows Best,” which aired from 2005 to 2007.
Rumors about a divide between Brooke and her father gained traction in September 2023, particularly when she did not attend his wedding to third wife, Sky Daily. Compounding the situation, Linda has stated that she has not seen Brooke in over eight years due to Hulk’s conduct. In response, Brooke has articulated her struggles with both parents, affirming, “Each individual, on their own, has given me more than enough reasons over the years to make this extremely hard and painful decision to end contact.”
