Hulk Hogan’s daughter, Brooke Oleksy, has hit out at those who criticised her for not attending her father’s WWE tributes.
It was announced on July 24 that the wrestling legend had died at the age of 71. He’s believed to have suffered a cardiac arrest in his Florida home.
Hogan’s family went on to confirm the news of his passing in a statement. It read: “It is with a heavy heart and deep sadness that we confirm we have lost a legend. Our beloved Terry Bollea, known worldwide as Hulk Hogan, passed away today surrounded by his loved ones.
“At this time of grief, we ask that everyone please respect the privacy of his family and friends. May we all take solace in the wonderful memories he left behind for the millions of fans worldwide whose lives he touched for more than four decades.
“He will be missed, but never forgotten.”
Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan died on July 24 (Paul Kane/Getty Images)
WWE also issued a statement and described him as ‘one of pop culture’s most recognizable figures’. With that he helped the production company ‘achieve global recognition in the 1980s’.
Hogan is survived by his two children, Brooke and Nick who he shared with ex-wife Linda Hogan, and his wife of two years Sky Daily.
Only July 29, Nick was in attendance at WWE’s Monday Night Raw which started with a 10-bell salute to Hogan.
Brooke wasn’t there on Monday alongside her brother, however, and she appears to have been criticized for not being in attendance.
There was also a tribute for the late WWE star on Friday Night SmackDown.
Addressing her absence, the 37-year-old said on her Instagram Story: “For those of you giving me crap for not attending my dad’s tributes, @wwe did not extend an invite.”
Elsewhere, Brooke penned a heartfelt tribute to her father that refuted any claims that the pair had become estranged.
Sharing a compilation of photos with Hogan, she wrote: “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.
“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 ended the tear-jerking post with ‘Forever yours, Brooke’.
In a longer statement shared to her Instagram, Brooke insisted that her bond with her dad ‘was never broken’ and that their connection was ‘deeper than words’.
“I’m so grateful I got to know the real version of him,” she continued to write. “Not just the one the world viewed through a carefully curated lens.”
UNILAD has approached WWE for comment.
Featured Image Credit: Ralph Notaro/Getty
Niamh Shackleton
Sad reason why John Cena is retiring from wrestling after 24 years
The wrestler reflected that ‘you can’t please everyone’
For wrestling icon John Cena, 2025 is to be a year of ‘lasts’.
For almost two and a half decades, the 16-time world champion has stolen the spotlight one some of the biggest WWE stages.
From debuting on the main WWE roster in 2002, to controversially going part-time for a career on the silver screen years later, Cena is known for both his wrestling legacy and his Hollywood performances.
Yet, all good things must come to an end, and that’s sadly the case for Cena’s wrestling career.
Last summer, Cena confirmed he would be retiring from the sport for good – while in March, he shocked fans once more by transforming into a ‘heel’ – aka an evil character – as he took aim at WWE champion Cody Rhodes, singling out a young fan in the crowd while doing so.
Cena is set to face Rhodes once again at his final ever Wrestlemania, which takes place across Saturday April 19 and Sunday April 20 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Cena and Rhodes will clash as the latter attempts to defend his Undisputed WWE Champion title.
Cena dropped the bombshell of his retirement during WWE’s Money in the Bank event in Canada last summer.
In a news conference after the event, he revealed the sad reason he was hanging up his championship belts.
The 47-year-old told reporters he feels ‘physically at my end’, but still, he reassured that he wouldn’t be distancing himself fully from the sport.
John Cena debuted on WWE in 2002 (WWE via Getty Images)
Cena has racked up a whole host of injuries throughout his career, from a torn pec muscle to a broken nose.
Most recently, back in 2023, he underwent surgeries on both arms for an unknown injury.
Later, Cena told Collider: “I can say that with the utmost conviction because I have given the calendar year 2025 to WWE.
“I am retiring in 2025, and I start that farewell tour in January and I’ll end it in December.
“It’s gonna be right around 36 dates around the world to pay thanks and gratitude to the WWE audiences around the world.
John Cena blamed the crowd for his evil turn during March 2’s match (WWE/WWE via Getty Images)
And in another interview with Yahoo! Entertainment, Cena said: “The word ‘retirement,’ to me, simply means acknowledging and accepting that you’re closing a chapter and opening another one,” citing the book The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life by David Brooks.
He continued: “This is a thing that a lot of folks go through, and it’s a normal progression in life,” he said. “It’s closing a chapter, continuing to be curious and finding that second mountain to climb.”
He added: “If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years it is you can’t please everyone.”
