Brooke Hogan, the daughter of late WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan, claims that she was absent from WWE's tributes to her late father because the company "did not extend an invite."
WWE honored Hogan during the live broadcasts of their SmackDown, NXT and RAW shows, the last of which was attended by her brother, Nick, on Monday (July 28) night. Brooke, 37, responded to apparent criticism for her absence on her Instagram Story on Wednesday (July 30).
"For those of you giving me crap for not attending my Dad's tributes, @WWE did not extend an invite," she wrote.
Brooke's clarification followed TMZ Sports' report that she removed herself from her father's will in 2023 as she "didn't trust a single person around" her father and wanted to avoid a financial battle that could potentially ensue after his death. The sources claimed that Brooke wanted to protect her father from others taking advantage of him, but eventually reached out to his financial manager to have herself removed from his will after years of disagreements on the issue.
Last week, TMZ reported that Brooke showed concern for her father's health during their final conversation in 2023. Brooke was reportedly notified about her father's passing after her brother, Nick, texted her husband.
The former Brooke Knows Best star had a fractured relationship with her father and last spoke to him two weeks before his wedding to Sky Daily in September 2023, at which point she reportedly expressed deep love and concern that he shouldn't be working so hard due to his declining health. Hulk, 71, reportedly downplayed the warning, but also apologized to Brooke for an unspecified reason during the phone call.
A source with knowledge of the situation claimed that Brooke's concern was from a place of love despite it not being well-received. Brooke's husband, former professional hockey player Steven Olesky, reportedly made multiple attempts to mend the relationship between his wife and her father, specifically after she faced a critical health issue during childbirth, however, Hulk reportedly gave cold responses and never made an effort to meet his grandchildren, with sources claiming to TMZ that he only wanted a relationship with his daughter on his terms.
Brooke is, however, reportedly grateful that she got to tell her father "I love you" during their final conversation and is at peace, according to the sources. WWE confirmed Hulk Hogan's death in tribute posts shared on its social media account following TMZ Sports' initial report on Thursday (July 24).
Medics reportedly responded to a reported "cardiac arrest" at Hogan's Clearwater home early Thursday morning, with the dispatch audio clip obtained and shared by TMZ Sports. Sources with knowledge of the situation told TMZ Sports that several police vehicles and EMTs were parked outside the wrestling legend's home and he was reported to be carried out on a stretcher and into an ambulance.
Hogan's death came weeks after his wife denied rumors that he was in a coma, claiming his heart was "strong" while recovering from surgeries, according to TMZ Sports. The website had previously reported rumors of the wrestler being on his "deathbed," which were later clarified to be symptoms of a neck procedure in May.
The Hulk Hogan character is one of the most well-known in the history of professional wrestling, leading WWE to become a global enterprise in the 1980s as the face of the company during its popularity boom. Bollea was a five-time WWE (then-WWF) Champion, which included a 1,474-day reign as the longest of the WrestleMania era and a six-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, where he was the leader of the New World Order as 'Hollywood' Hulk Hogan during his tenure with the now-defunct promotion.
Hogan was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame twice as both an individual and as a member of the faction.