Brooke Hogan has broken her silence following the passing of her father, the iconic Hulk Hogan. In a long, emotional, and deeply personal statement posted to her Instagram, she opened up about their recent complicated relationship, her enduring love for him, and her overwhelming heartbreak.
Hulk Hogan passed away on July 24 at the age of 71, and in the days since, tributes have poured in from around the world. Brooke’s statement, released on July 27th, is her first time publicly addressing the loss of the man she called her “hero” and “best friend.”
A Complicated Relationship
In her statement, Brooke Hogan revealed that she and her father had a period of estrangement over the last two years. She explained that there was no “big fight,” but rather a difficult and painful shift in their relationship.
“We had been though almost 25 surgeries together, and then all of a sudden he didn’t want me at surgeries… everything started getting covered in a thick veil,” she wrote. “It was like there was a force field around him that I couldn’t get through.”
She explained that for the last two years, she had been “trying to find a safe way back in for me.” She wrote, “After my father passed, I read those messages, some answered, some ignored… but all of them broke my heart.”
A Daughter’s Love
Despite their recent struggles, Brooke’s statement was filled with love and beautiful memories of her father. “His hugs were my home. Wrapping my arms around his big frame always made me feel like his little girl, even as I grew up,” she wrote.
She shared that he will live on through her and her children. “I swear when I hold my sweet Molly Gene, named after him, she smells just like him sometimes. He lives through me, and through them.”
She concluded with a final, poignant tribute. “I will always remember the lessons and advice he gave me and carry on in a way that I know would make him proud. Thank you for being the best dad in the world and thank you for being my best friend. I love you so much Big Dog and I will miss you forever.”
The father-daughter bond between Hulk and Brooke Hogan was one that fans felt they knew intimately. Their family was the subject of the hit VH1 reality show, Hogan Knows Best, which showcased Hulk as an overprotective but deeply loving father who was heavily involved in his daughter’s life and budding music career.
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