Details surrounding the final weeks of professional wrestling legend Hulk Hogan have emerged following his death at the age of 71, reportedly due to cardiac arrest.
According to a source with close ties to the Hogan family, the former WWE superstar was acutely aware of his deteriorating condition and had been diagnosed with a significantly weakened heart in the weeks leading up to his passing.
The source disclosed to the Daily Mail that Mr. Hogan had been experiencing pronounced shortness of breath, marked fatigue, substantial weight loss, and had become reliant on supplemental oxygen while residing at his Clearwater, Florida residence, where his condition gradually declined.
Despite the severity of his health issues, the source noted that Mr. Hogan’s final days were also marked by periods of happiness and a sense of peace.
Mr. Hogan, born Terry Bollea, reportedly dedicated a portion of his final weeks to mending fractured relationships with estranged loved ones, fully cognizant that these moments represented his last opportunity for reconciliation.
“He had a lot of scores to settle. Didn’t want to leave anything unsaid,” a source close to the family told the Daily Mail, indicating his desire to achieve emotional closure before his passing.
The outpouring of tributes in the immediate aftermath of his death underscores the enduring impact of his life and career, and suggests that Mr. Hogan departed this life with considerably more allies than adversaries.
On the morning of Thursday, emergency medical personnel were dispatched to the Clearwater, Florida residence of Hulk Hogan—born Terry Bollea—following a 911 call reporting severe cardiac distress. Mr. Hogan was transported via stretcher to Morton Plant Hospital, where he was subsequently pronounced deceased. He was 71 years old.
The unexpected nature of Mr. Hogan’s passing comes in the wake of public denials made by his wife, Sky Daily Hogan, who just weeks earlier refuted circulating rumors that the former professional wrestler was in critical condition or in a coma. At that time, she stated that his heart was “strong” and clarified that he had recently undergone a routine yet significant medical procedure.
According to Mrs. Hogan, the wrestler had been in recovery from a four-level Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF)—a complex surgical operation involving the cervical spine. She described the procedure as “an intense surgery with a long and layered healing process.”
At the time of his death, Mr. Hogan’s net worth was estimated at approximately $25 million. He is survived by his third wife, Sky, as well as his two children, Brooke (aged 37) and Nick (aged 34), both of whom he shared with his first wife, Linda Claridge. He is also survived by two grandchildren.
Mr. Hogan and Ms. Claridge divorced in 2009. He later married Jennifer McDaniel in 2010, with that union ending in separation in 2021. He subsequently married Sky Daily in 2023.
News of Mr. Hogan’s death prompted an immediate and widespread response from figures across the sports and entertainment industries. Among those offering tributes was longtime wrestling peer and rival Ric Flair, who expressed visible shock when contacted by the Daily Mail, later honoring Mr. Hogan publicly as an “incredible athlete, talent, friend, and father.”
Former U.S. President Donald J. Trump also paid tribute via Truth Social, writing: “We lost a great friend today, the ‘Hulkster.’ Hulk Hogan was MAGA all the way—strong, tough, smart, but with the biggest heart.” President Trump went on to commend Mr. Hogan’s enduring popularity, writing: “He entertained fans from all over the world, and the cultural impact he had was massive,” referencing the wrestler’s “absolutely electric speech” at the 2024 Republican National Convention.#newsafro_
