WWE legend Hulk Hogan died Thursday at age 71, but his daughter Brooke Hogan is holding on to one final moment of peace with her father — a loving goodbye that came after years of family tension.
Brooke and her father born Terry Bollea were estranged for several years. But in their last conversation in September 2023, just two weeks before Hogan married his third wife, Sky Daily, Brooke was able to tell him that she loved him.
The brief but heartfelt exchange has taken on deep meaning since Hogan’s sudden death from cardiac arrest at his home in Clearwater, Florida. Though the Hogan family had been fractured, that final phone call brought a rare moment of connection between father and daughter.
Brooke, 36, reportedly first learned about her father’s death when her brother, Nick Hogan, texted her husband, former NHL player Steven Oleksy, to break the news. Brooke and Oleksy married in 2022. On Thursday night, Oleksy acknowledged the loss on Instagram, writing, “Thank you for the love and support for my beautiful wife,” in response to a friend’s tribute.
The Hogan family has faced public tension in recent years. In March, Brooke’s mother, Linda Hogan, shared on Instagram that the family was “the worst mess.” Brooke did not attend her father’s wedding to Sky Daily in September, which was seen as a clear sign of continued strain.
Hogan, a wrestling icon known for his “Real American” persona and for ushering in the golden era of the WWE, died Thursday morning. Emergency responders were called to his home for a reported cardiac arrest, He was 71.
While the family feud may have cast a shadow over recent years, the fact that Brooke and her father exchanged kind words before his passing has offered some comfort to those close to them.
“She got to say what mattered most,” a source told TMZ, noting how important those last words were in the midst of unresolved conflict.
As tributes continue to pour in from fans and fellow wrestlers around the world, Brooke’s moment of peace with her father serves as a reminder of the power of love — even in the final moments.
Funeral arrangements and official statements from the Hogan family are expected in the coming days.