Legendary Hulk Hogan Says Goodbye in a Touching Ceremony
Largo, Florida – A crowd gathered Tuesday night for the funeral of iconic wrestler Hulk Hogan, who passed away last month at the age of 71.
The private service was held in the same church where Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, was baptized in 2023.
Hogan’s death occurred after suffering a heart attack on July 24 at his Clearwater residence, according to the Pinellas County medical examiner.
The coroner’s report revealed that Hogan had suffered from leukemia and atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart rhythm. His death was ruled as natural.
The church security and Largo police officers, including K-9 dogs, heavily patrolled the service. Access was denied to anyone not on the guest list, with signs indicating “Private Event”.
Governor Ron DeSantis ordered flags to fly at half-staff at all official buildings last Friday, a day he declared “Hulk Hogan Day in Florida”.
Hogan was possibly the biggest star in the long history of wrestling, recognized both for his flamboyant personality and his feats in the ring. He was the main attraction of the first WrestleMania in 1985 and a constant figure for years, facing legends like Andre The Giant and Randy Savage, to The Rock and even WWE co-founder Vince McMahon.
Hogan was also a celebrity outside the world of wrestling, appearing 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.
“I am very grateful to have met the real version of him. Not just the one the world saw through a carefully selected lens”
