Just after she was noticeably absent from WWE’s tributes to Hulk Hogan, the late wrestling legend’s daughter, Brooke, spoke out about why she wasn’t at the event.
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In an Instagram Stories post, Brooke revealed the reason behind her absences. “For those of you giving me crap for not attending my Dad’s tributes, WWE did not extend an invite,” she wrote.
In addition to tributes on SmackDown and NXT, WWE paid tribute to Hulk Hogan during Raw, just days after the famed wrestler unexpectedly passed away at the age of 71. His son, Nick, was present for the tribute and stood center stage during the event. Nick’s wife, Tana, was also present.
While on stage, WWE’s Chief Content Officer, Paul “Triple H” Levesque, spoke out about Hogan’s shocking death. “Ladies and gentlemen, we lost one of the biggest and most globally recognized icons in the world,” he said, per PEOPLE. “A man I grew up watching, was fortunate enough to share the ring with, and like so many of us were honored to call a friend.”
Continuing to praise Hogan, Levesque stated, “The truth is, he captivated millions of people and inspired them around the globe. We would not be standing here right now, all of us together, if it were not for him.”
The arena then had a moment of silence as WWE gave Hulk a “10-bell salute.”
Hogan’s cause of death was an acute myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack, and the manner of his death has been ruled natural.
Brooke Hogan Addresses The Fallout Between Her and Hulk
In a lengthy statement, Brooke Hogan opened up about the fallout between her and Hulk, who was once caught making racist remarks about one of Brooke’s former boyfriends.
“We never had a ‘big fight,’” she confirmed. “My father and I never ‘fought.’ It was a series of private phone calls no one will ever hear, know, or understand. My father was confiding in me about issues weighing on his heart, both personal and business.”
Although she had always been by his side for his health difficulties, Brooke said her father stopped wanting her to be there for his procedures.
“Everything started getting covered in a thick veil,” Brooke explained. “It was like there was a force field around him that I couldn’t get through.”
Brooke eventually decided that she needed to step away to “protect” her heart. However, her husband, Steven Oleksy, remained in contact with Hulk.
“I know in my heart I did everything I could,” Brooke added. “He knew I would run through a burning building for him. And in many ways, along the path of life, I did. He knows how deeply, how hard, and how purely I loved him. I am at peace knowing this.”