Last week, the world of professional wrestling bid farewell to one of its biggest icons, Hulk Hogan, who passed away from a heart attack. According to a report released Thursday by the Florida medical examiner, the 71-year-old wrestling legend, whose real name was Terry Bollea, had been dealing with health issues such as leukemia and atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart rhythm, prior to his death.
In a gesture of respect and homage to the icon, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis proclaimed Friday as โHulk Hogan Dayโ in the state. As a tribute, flags will be flown at half-staff across all official buildings. โHe embodied what it meant to be a true Floridian,โ DeSantis penned in a heartfelt memo.
Police reported that on the morning of July 24, Hogan was declared dead at a hospital less than an hour and a half after emergency services responded to a cardiac arrest call at his Clearwater residence. The medical examiner ruled the death as โnatural.โ
In the days following his passing, Hoganโs wife, Sky Daily, expressed her grief on Instagram, mentioning his battle with health challenges but her belief that he would overcome them. She mourned the abruptness of his loss, saying, โHe was a legend to the worldโฆ but to me, he was my Terry.โ
Throughout his career, Hogan became synonymous with WWE, thanks to his charismatic presence and remarkable performances in the ring. He headlined the inaugural WrestleMania in 1985 and went on to captivate audiences with matches against some of wrestlingโs most prominent figures such as Andre The Giant, Randy Savage, and even WWEโs co-founder, Vince McMahon.
Hoganโs daughter, Brooke Bollea Oleksy, known by her stage name Brooke Hogan, paid tribute to her father via social media. She expressed gratitude for knowing the man behind the public persona and shared her love and admiration for him.
Details regarding Hoganโs funeral arrangements have yet to be disclosed to the public, leaving fans to continue paying their respects and reminiscing about the indelible mark he left on the world of entertainment.