“I Love You, Dad” — Brooke Hogan Reflects on Final Words to Hulk Hogan

Wrestling icon Hulk Hogan may have passed away at age 71, but the love between him and his daughter Brooke Hogan endured — even through years of estrangement. “He was very proud of her. She was his little girl,” a family insider told Page Six.

Despite a rocky relationship that included Brooke skipping Hulk’s 2023 wedding to Sky Daily, the two shared a final, emotional phone call just two weeks before the wedding. According to reports from TMZ, Brooke told her father she loved him deeply and urged him to slow down and take care of his health.

Though Hulk didn’t follow that advice, he reportedly offered a vague apology — one of their few moments of reconciliation in recent years. Sources close to Brooke say she’s grateful that their final conversation ended in love and concern. In her words, she’s “at peace,” knowing she did everything she could to mend their bond.

Brooke found out about her father’s passing from her brother, Nick, who texted her husband following the emergency call to Hulk’s Clearwater, Florida home on Thursday morning. The wrestling legend was pronounced dead after suffering cardiac arrest.

Earlier this year, Hulk’s wife Sky Daily had dismissed online rumors about his condition, clarifying that he was recovering from a major four-level spinal surgery (ACDF) — a grueling process that impacted his spine, vocal cords, and breathing. Now, the world mourns a cultural titan who wasn’t just the face of wrestling for generations — but also a father, husband, and human being trying to navigate complicated relationships behind the scenes. “She said I love you. He said it back. That’s what matters now.”

RIP Terry Bollea — Hulk Hogan

You body-slammed your way into history, but your final chapter reminds us you were human all along.