A new report from TMZ Sports indicates that the recent death of wrestling legend Hulk Hogan may have been the result of medical malpractice. According to the report, law enforcement sources state that a witness at the scene told responding officers that a surgeon had “severed” Hogan’s phrenic nerve during a recent operation, which may have led to his death.
Witness at the Scene
The TMZ report, citing law enforcement sources and the Clearwater PD police report, states that an occupational therapist was present at Hogan’s Florida home on the day he died. According to the report, which is currently on “lockdown,” this therapist informed police that Hogan was the victim of medical malpractice. The specific operation is unclear, but the therapist claimed the surgeon severed the nerve during either a recent heart or neck procedure.
The Phrenic Nerve
The phrenic nerve plays a crucial role in respiration, as it stimulates the diaphragm, which controls breathing. According to TMZ’s sources, Hogan did not have a traditional heart attack-like episode; rather, “he merely stopped breathing.” His wife, Sky, is said to have been the one who noticed his breathing had stopped and made the 911 call.
Brooke Hogan’s Previous Statements
These new details appear to corroborate the concerns recently voiced by Hogan’s daughter, Brooke Hogan, on her Instagram account. In a series of posts, Brooke stated that she had received “legit calls from professionals” who were with her father on the day he died and felt that something was wrong.
“I’ve 100% gotten legit calls from professionals- from police officials to nurses that were supposedly with my dad on the day of his death telling ME I need to see body cam footage and I need to get a hold of the 911 tapes,” Brooke wrote. She said they told her the tapes “could potentially shed enough light to change the narrative we/I/everyone’s been hearing.”
Call for Official Records
Brooke’s call for the release of body cam footage is particularly notable, as the TMZ report states that conversations between the responding officers about what the therapist told them were captured on their body cameras. Both Brooke and TMZ have noted that these records, including body cam footage and 911 calls, are currently on “lockdown” and not available through the Freedom of Information Act.
In her statement, Brooke expressed her frustration and powerlessness over the situation, explaining that she has no legal say in any of the post-mortem decisions. “The short of it is- it’s all up to my dad’s wife and I have zero control,” she wrote. “I can not do anything, my hands are tied, and I have no say in anything regarding my dad – even as his daughter. Those are the rules as I’ve been told.”
Questions Surrounding the Death Certificate
Brooke also publicly questioned the official signing of her father’s death certificate. “Do I question his general physician signing off on his death certificate, given his background which is available for anyone to see via a simple Google search? You can answer that one for yourself,” she wrote.
Status of an Autopsy
Both Brooke Hogan and TMZ have stated that an autopsy has been discussed. “I have been told by my brother there will be an autopsy,” Brooke wrote, though she had no further details. The TMZ report noted that as of a week ago, Hogan’s body had not been cremated, but it is unclear if that is still the case.
Brooke concluded her public statement by asking for privacy and for an end to the speculation, as she is not in a position to provide any answers. “At the end of the day, answers would be great, but none of it brings my dad back. And my hands are tied,” she wrote.
