Brooke Oleksy, the daughter of wrestling icon Hulk Hogan, recently shared the reason for her absence at her father’s funeral.
The legendary wrestler, whose real name was Terry Bollea, passed away at 71 due to a heart attack at his Florida residence on July 24, as confirmed by his family.
Following his passing, numerous tributes have been dedicated to Hogan, including a poignant 10-minute bell salute during WWE’s Monday Night Raw on July 29.
Hogan’s son, Nick, 35, was present at the tribute and at the private funeral held in Clearwater on August 5, alongside his mother, Linda Hogan, and Hogan’s most recent wife, Sky Dailey.
However, keen observers noticed the conspicuous absence of Hogan’s daughter, Brooke, from both the tribute and the funeral.
The 37-year-old TV personality addressed rumors of a rift with her father, explaining her decision to honor Hogan differently—by visiting the beach.
“My father hated the morbidity of funerals. He didn’t want one,” Brooke expressed on Instagram.
“And although I know people grieve in many ways—and I’m so grateful for all celebrations and events organized to honor him, as his daughter, I had to make my own decision to honor him the best and most genuine way I knew how…privately…the way that made me feel the closest to him.”
Brooke shared photos of her family, including her husband Steven Oleksy and their twins, enjoying the beach. She noted, “The only thing missing today was him in his pop-up lawn chair watching the waves… and the sunset,” accompanied by a broken heart emoji.
“Daddy, we honored you in the simplest way that agreed with my soul. We took our babies to the beach, and put them in the same salty waters you loved. Molly loved the water. I think she’ll be a ‘little fish’ as you called me.”
She continued: “We love you and honor the things that made you so special. 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. Rest in heaven, Daddy.”
In another heartfelt message to her father, she expressed pride in being his daughter, stating: “Thank you for choosing me in this lifetime, and for loving me so deeply.
“Our bond is eternal. That truth brings me comfort and hope, even in your absence. I love you more than all the stars in the sky, 4LifeAfterLife.”
Brooke’s tribute followed her admission of having been ‘disconnected’ from Hogan for two years before his death, stating she had ‘step[ped] away to protect [her] heart.’
She clarified that their relationship was never strained to the point of a major conflict, stating: “We never had a ‘big fight.’ My father and I never ‘fought’.”
“All I ever truly wanted from my father was love, honesty, and a deep connection. And for a few special years, I had that—with memories that will last a lifetime,” she added.
Additionally, Brooke was excluded from her father’s will, a decision she claimed was her own.
The mother of two explained she didn’t ‘want to be a part of it’ to avoid potential family disputes over his substantial fortune, estimated at around $25 million.
Addressing her absence from the WWE tribute, she said: “For those of you giving me crap for not attending my dad’s tributes, @wwe did not extend an invite.”
UNILAD has sought a comment from WWE on the matter.