Hulk Hogan's Friends 'Shocked' by His Death Despite Recent Health Struggles

Hulk Hogan’s death came out of nowhere to his inner circle.

“Hulk was at home in the last few weeks, not in the hospital,” a friend of the late wrestler exclusively tells Us Weekly. “He was recovering well from his heart operation.”

While his June operation was a “major surgery” and “he was not at full strength,” Hogan was “taking it in his stride” after undergoing several surgeries in the past.

The pal added that news of Hogan’s passing was a “huge shock” to those close to him: “His friends are shocked. He had been calling and texting as normal.”

Wrestling Legend Hulk Hogan Dead at 71

Hogan’s family confirmed to Us that he died on Thursday, July 24. He was 71. The Clearwater Police Department responded to a call for cardiac arrest at Hogan’s Florida home. Hogan was treated by Clearwater Fire and Rescue crews before being taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. TMZ was first to report the news of his death.

Just two days prior, Hogan’s friend Jimmy Hart said the wrestler was in “phenomenal” spirits. “Hulk is doing great,” he tweeted on Tuesday, July 22. “Last night at karaoke with Nick was absolutely fantastic, baby!!!”

Hogan retired from the sport in 2012. During a 2023 interview with Men’s Health, he opened up about how wrestling took a toll on his body.

“I’ve had about 25 surgeries in the last decade: knee and hip replacements, shoulder and back surgeries, operations on my eyes and abdominals. Apparently wrestling is all ‘fake,’ but I sure didn’t get that memo!” he said. “Along with all of the injuries and treatment came the pain, the inflammation, and the prescription drugs. I just got so sick of the brain fog, the trouble sleeping, feeling tired all the time, and not being myself, that about a year ago I decided to [stop taking] all of the pain meds I was on.”

Hogan explained that he decided to prioritize his wellbeing and focused on losing weight, exercising and eating better.

Hogan is survived by his wife, Sky Daily, whom he married in 2023.

Hogan and ex-wife Linda shared daughter Brooke and son Nick. Brooke made headlines earlier this year when she revealed she was estranged from her family, sharing that she was not on speaking terms with her father and mother.

Reliving Hulk Hogan's Life Out of the WWE Spotlight

“I have completely separate reasons for going no contact with each of my parents,” Brooke explained at the time. “No contact with my mom has nothing to do with my dad, and no contact with my father has nothing to do with my mother. … This decision was made based purely on how they have each dealt with me my entire life.”

Nick, however, was on good terms with Hogan, sharing a tribute to him on Father’s Day via Instagram, which read: “Had a great Father’s Day with the goat! Happy Father’s Day to all the awesome dads! .”

In addition to being a household name in the wrestling world, Hogan dabbled in acting and appeared in Rocky III, No Holds Barred, Suburban Commando and Mr. Nanny. He and his family also had a reality show, Hogan Knows Best, which aired for four seasons on VH1 in the early 2000s.