Brooke Hogan has broken her silence following the death of her father, wrestling legend Hulk Hogan, on July 24 at the age of 71.
Brooke, 37, took to social media on Tuesday to share an emotional tribute to her father, writing, “My dad’s blood runs through my veins. His eyes shine through my children. And our bond had never broken, not even in his final moments.”
“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, one that could be seen and felt by anyone who witnessed us together.”
The Hogan Knows Best star said when her father died “it felt like part of my spirit left with him.”
“I felt it before the news even reached us. 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 wrote.
The former reality star said she knows her father is “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.”
Brooke reflected on memories with her father, like “watching him build my Barbie dream houses, our jet ski rides, laughing til we cried when no one else got the joke,” and she shared that he gave her “a love and respect for the ocean.”
“His hugs were my home. Wrapping my arms around his big frame always made me feel like his little girl, even as I grew up. I’ll never forget his scent,” she said.
She referenced her daughter, Molly Gene, named after her father, whose real name was Terry Gene Bollea.
“I swear when I hold my sweet Molly Gene, named after him, she smells just like him sometimes. I feel his presence in my children. He lives through me, and through them.”
Brooke also addressed the “narrative” she said the “media has been convoluting” around her and her famous father.
“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. My father was confiding in me about issues weighing on his heart, both personal and business … I offered to be a life raft in whatever capacity he needed,” she wrote.
She said that she begged her father “to rest, to take care of himself.”
“He had nothing else to prove to the world or anyone. My husband and I moved down to Florida to be near him. He was getting older. I wanted to be there as much as possible,” she continued. “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. It was like there was a force field around him that I couldn’t get through.”
Brooke said that she felt “a disconnect,” and 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. My husband stayed open, quietly reaching out to my dad without me knowing, trying to find a safe way back in for me. After my father passed, I read those messages, some answered, some ignored … but all of them broke my heart.”
Remembering Hulk Hogan: Wrestling’s GOAT leaves behind complicated legacy
She said that in the end, she knew she did everything she could and believes her father knew she would “run through a burning building for him.”
“He knows how deeply, how hard and how purely I loved him. I am at peace knowing this. All I ever truly wanted from my father was love, honesty, and a deep connection. And for a few special years, I had that — with memories that will last a lifetime.”
Brooke said that her world is now “forever changed” but she is “deeply blessed with a loving husband and two beautiful children who remind me every day of life’s greatest gifts.”
“I’m deeply grateful for the love, tributes, and memorials from his fans and friends. His life was one worth celebrating — and always will be,” she concluded.
After sharing her statement, Brooke posted a video of photos of her and her father.
“My Dearest Daddy, You were my everything, and I will always be your girl. I am PROUD to be your daughter — for all the love, light, and goodness you brought into this world. Thank you for choosing me in this lifetime, and for loving me so deeply,” she wrote in the caption.
“Our bond is eternal. That truth brings me comfort and hope, even in your absence. I love you more than all the stars in the sky, 4LifeAfterLife,” she added, ending the post with, “Forever yours, Brooke.”
Hogan was pronounced dead at a hospital less than 90 minutes after medics in Clearwater arrived at his home to answer a morning call about a cardiac arrest on July 24, police said.
“There were no signs of foul play or suspicious activity,” Major Nate Burnside told reporters.
Hogan was perhaps the biggest star in WWE’s long history. He was the main draw for the first WrestleMania in 1985 and was a fixture for years, facing everyone from Andre the Giant and Randy Savage to The Rock and even WWE co-founder Vince McMahon.
Hogan was also a celebrity outside the wrestling world, appearing in numerous movies and television shows, including a reality show about his life on VH1, Hogan Knows Best.
— With files from The Associated Press