As wrestling and entertainment legends gathered this week to say farewell to Hulk Hogan, his daughter, Brooke Hogan, was noticeably absent from the private funeral service.
In a heartfelt statement released via Instagram, Brooke has now offered a deeply personal explanation for her decision—and it’s resonating with fans around the world.
Rather than attend the formal funeral service held on Tuesday, August 5th, Brooke chose to grieve privately at the beach—a place that held a special connection between her and her father. “Daddy, we honored you in the simplest way that agreed with my soul,” Brooke wrote.
She continued, “We took our babies to the beach, and put them in the same salty waters you loved… Every grain of sand and every wave reminded me of being your beach baby, and brought us closer to you. I pray you are at peace and know how dearly I love you.”
Brooke explained that Hulk Hogan (Terry Bollea) “hated the morbidity of funerals” and didn’t want one. Her decision to honor him in nature, rather than in a church, was based on what she felt would be most authentic to who he was.
Brooke’s absence from the Indian Rocks Baptist Church service in Florida followed a complicated chapter in the Hogan family. In earlier statements after his passing, Brooke had revealed that she and her father were estranged for the past two years, sharing that she had felt a “force field” around him and had been pushed away from his inner circle.
The official funeral was attended by a host of wrestling royalty and celebrities including Vince McMahon, Triple H, Kid Rock, Theo Von, and Bam Margera. However, Brooke Hogan was also not invited to participate in WWE’s televised tributes to her father on Raw and SmackDown, further illustrating her separation from the public and professional chapters of Hulk Hogan’s life.
Brooke’s statement serves as a deeply emotional and personal farewell, choosing to honor her father as Terry Bollea, the man, not just Hulk Hogan, the icon. In a world of cameras, tributes, and eulogies, Brooke’s beachside remembrance of her father as her “beach baby” speaks volumes about their bond—imperfect, private, and real.
Her tribute has been met with widespread support from fans and peers alike, praising her vulnerability and the authenticity of her grief.
Stay with PWMania.com for more coverage on the life and legacy of Hulk Hogan, and continued updates from the wrestling world.
