Hulk Hogan’s only son Nick has honored the wrestling legend in a heartfelt tribute in his first remarks since his father’s sudden death.
Hogan, real name Terry Bollea, died last Thursday after suffering a cardiac arrest at the age of 71. He is survived by Nick, 35, and estranged daughter Brooke, 37, whom he shared with his first ex-wife, Linda.
“This has been overwhelming and extremely difficult,” Nick wrote on Instagram on Saturday alongside a carousel of images of him and his father throughout the years. The first image featured the pair in matching red and yellow shirts when Nick was a young boy.
“Hearing so many kind words and stories about my dad’s life, interactions and experiences with everyone has been incredible and comforting,” he added.
Remembering Hogan as the “most incredible person I’ve ever known” and his forever “hero,” he called him the “most kind, loving and amazing father anybody could ask for.”
“I feel so blessed to have had the greatest dad in the world,” Nick wrote. “He was not only the best dad but also my mentor and my best friend. He always has been my best friend and I love him and miss him more than I could ever explain.”
Nick Hogan said he had thanked his father “for everything he has ever done for me and told him how much I loved him and hugged him every chance I got.”
“I spent a lot of time with him the past few years after moving back to Florida to be closer to him and I am so grateful for those memories. They are the best moments in my life,” he added.
He continued: “I would do anything to have him back but I know now that he will always be watching over me. I will always remember the lessons and advice he gave me and carry on in a way that I know would make him proud.”
Hogan thanked his father for being “the best dad in the world” and his “best friend.”
“I love you so much Big Dog and I will miss you forever,” he wrote.
The family of four — Hogan, Linda, Brooke, and Nick — starred in a reality TV series, Hogan Knows Best, which aired from 2005 to 2007.
During the filming of the series, Nick was a burgeoning motorsports racer. But his career was cut short after he was involved in a devastating car crash in 2007. He was accused of driving under the influence of alcohol and spent several months in a Florida county jail.
He remained close to his father over the years, even celebrating Hogan on Father’s Day last month.
“Had a great Father’s Day with the goat! Happy Father’s Day to all the awesome dads!” he wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of himself as a child flexing with his father.
Brooke, on the other hand, had experienced a falling out with both of her parents, revealing in March that she had “completely separate reasons for going no contact” with both of them.
“I have been EXTREMELY verbally and mentally abused since childhood,” Brooke claimed on Instagram. “Sadly, it would frequently turn physical. And sometimes it’s not by the person you would assume, abuse comes in all shapes and sizes.”
Linda vehemently denied Brooke’s accusations, calling her daughter “a narcissist just like her dad.”
Meanwhile, Hogan said he had no idea why Brooke no longer spoke to him.
