Hulk Hogan, one of the biggest stars in WWE history, passed away in the early hours of Thursday. He was 71 years old.
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According to TMZ, medical personnel were dispatched to the wrestling icon’s Clearwater, Florida, residence regarding “cardiac arrest.”
Hogan, whose real name is Terry Gene Bollea, was reportedly spotted being carried out of his home on a stretcher and into a nearby ambulance.
Rumors about Hogan’s health have been circulating for weeks, with his wife, Sky Daily, denying rumors that he was in a coma and was on his “deathbed.” She also revealed that his heart was “strong” following a neck surgery in May.
Hogan’s rep further shared on June 18 that there were “no reasons to panic” about his health and that the late wrestler had “problems with his back” for years.
The wrestling legend’s rep previously said he had “little fusion procedure,” which was deemed “successful.”
Hogan had a professional wrestling career that spanned over six decades. He first joined the WWE in 1979. He won the WWE Championship six times and won the WWE Tag Team Championship once with Edge (Adam Copeland).
Hulk was also the first wrestler to win two consecutive Royal Rumbles in 1990 and 1991.
Along with Sky, Hogan is also survived by his children, Brooke and Nick, whom he shares with ex-wife Linda.
WWE Honors Hulk Hogan In Special Social Media Tribute
In an Instagram post, WWE honored Hulk Hogan with a throwback black-and-white snapshot.
“WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away,” the post reads. “One of pop culture’s most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s.”
The organization then added, “WWE extends its condolences to Hogan’s family, friends, and fans.”
Numerous pro wrestling fans reacted to the news with strong feelings. While many fans made note of the icon’s infamous racism scandal, others focused on his contributions to popular culture. “If it wasn’t for Hulk Hogan, WWE and pro wrestling alone wouldn’t be where it is today!” one fan believes. “Hulk Hogan is the reason why wrestling became popular!!!!!!!!”
Another fan also wrote, “He made wrestling mainstream back then. Hate him or love him, he’s a legend for sure.. RIP.”