LARGO, Fla. – Dozens of people gathered Tuesday evening at a funeral service for famed wrestler Hulk Hogan, who died last month at 71.
The private service was held at the same church where Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, was baptized in 2023.
He died after suffering a heart attack July 24 at his home in Clearwater, according to the Pinellas County medical examiner.
Hogan previously had leukemia and atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart rhythm, the examiner’s report said. His death was declared to be natural.
Church security and Largo police officers, alongside K-9 units, kept a close watch over the service. People not listed as guests were denied entry, with signs marking the event as “Private.”
President Donald Trump shared a picture on his Truth Social page, depicting him arm wrestling with Hogan, captioned, “They are having the ‘Hulkster’s’ funeral today, and I thought everybody would enjoy seeing this picture.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered flags flown at half-staff at all official buildings last Friday, which he declared “Hulk Hogan Day in Florida.”
As one of WWE’s most iconic figures, Hogan was celebrated for his grand personality and wrestling achievements. He was the highlight of the inaugural WrestleMania in 1985 and was a staple for years, competing against the likes of Andre The Giant, Randy Savage, The Rock, and event co-founder Vince McMahon.
Beyond wrestling, Hogan became a celebrity, featuring in movies and TV shows such as “Hogan Knows Best,” a reality series on VH1 about his life.
Hogan’s body will be cremated.
His daughter Brooke Bollea Oleksy, better known by her stage name Brooke Hogan, memorialized her father in a recent social media post.
“I am so grateful I knew the real version of him. Not just the one the world viewed through a carefully curated lens,” she wrote on Instagram.
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