The Wrestling World Says Goodbye to Hulk Hogan
Largo, Florida – A crowd gathered Tuesday night to say goodbye to legendary wrestler Hulk Hogan, who passed away last month at the age of 71.
The private ceremony was held in the same church where Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, was baptized in 2023.
According to the Pinellas County medical examiner, Hogan died after suffering a heart attack on July 24 at his Clearwater residence.
The coroner’s report revealed that Hogan had previously suffered from leukemia and atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart rhythm. His death was determined to be from natural causes.
The church’s security and Largo police officers, including K-9 dogs, guarded the service. Access was denied to anyone not on the guest list, with signs indicating “Private Event”.
Governor Ron DeSantis ordered flags to be flown at half-staff on all official buildings last Friday, declaring that day as “Hulk Hogan Day in Florida.”
Hogan was possibly the biggest star in the extensive history of WWE, recognized both for his overflowing personality and his achievements in the ring. He was the main attraction of the first WrestleMania in 1985 and a constant figure for years, facing legends like André the Giant and Randy Savage, to The Rock and even the co-founder of WWE, Vince McMahon.
Hogan was also a celebrity outside the world of wrestling, participating in numerous films and television shows, including “Hogan Knows Best”, a reality show about his life on VH1.
Hogan’s body will be cremated.
His daughter Brooke Bollea Oleksy, better known by her stage name Brooke Hogan, paid tribute to her father in a recent social media post.
