Famed wrestler Hulk Hogan dead at 71
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Hulk Hogan attends a New Era In Florida Gaming Event at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa in December 2023 in Tampa, Florida. Photo: Julio Aguilar/Getty Images
Hulk Hogan, the world-famous professional wrestler and Tampa Bay celebrity, died Thursday morning at 71, Clearwater authorities confirmed to Axios.
State of play: Clearwater fire and police personnel responded just before 10am to Hogan's Clearwater Beach home to reports of cardiac arrest, spokesperson Rob Shaw told Axios.
- Rescue crews treated Hogan, whose given name is Terry Bollea, at his home, then took him to Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater, where doctors pronounced him dead at 11:17am.
- Clearwater police Maj. Nate Burnside at a press conference said there were no signs of foul play or suspicious activity, though police were still investigating, as is protocol.
What they're saying: "I'm strongly encouraging everyone to keep the family in your thoughts and respect their privacy during this difficult time," Burnside said.
- Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector on X called Hogan "an inspiration to our Clearwater community and millions around the world" who was "so proud of his home city and was very active in our community."
Flashback: Hogan rose to fame after joining the then-World Wrestling Federation, helping spur a 1980s boom in popularity for the sport.
- His celebrity extended beyond the ring, with Hogan starring or featuring in films like Rocky III and later finding renewed fame as a reality TV star, including in the 2000s series "Hogan Knows Best."
Zoom in: Hogan was also a homegrown Tampa Bay celebrity. He was raised in South Tampa and attended Robinson High School.
- He owns Hogan's Hangout, a sports bar on Clearwater Beach, and was often spotted in public or appearing at sporting and charitable events.
- He was also for years a frequent guest of the "Bubba the Love Sponge Show," a Tampa-based radio program.
Friction point: Hogan's friendship with the show's host, "Bubba" Clem, spurred a major controversy after the website Gawker in 2012 published a portion of a video depicting Hogan and Clem's wife having sex.
- Hogan, with the financial backing of tech billionaire Peter Thiel, successfully sued Gawker for invasion of privacy and was awarded $115 million by a jury in St. Petersburg in 2016.
- He faced another scandal in 2015 over a recording of him using the n-word. Hogan, in apologizing, cited his Tampa upbringing, claiming use of the word "was part of the culture and the environment I grew up in."
Hogan endorsed and campaigned for President Trump during last year's election, calling him "the only man that can fix this country today" and accusing Democrats of unfairly maligning his supporters.
- "The only thing I see here are a bunch of hard-working men and women that are real Americans, brother," he said at an October rally.
- On Thursday, Trump posted about Hogan's death on Truth Social, calling him a "great friend" and "Strong, tough, smart, but with the biggest heart."
- "He entertained fans from all over the World, and the cultural impact he had was massive," Trump added.
