Introduction
In an emotional statement, Linda Hogan – the first wife of wrestling legend Hulk Hogan – has spoken out for the first time following news of his sudden passing. On July 28th, under the comments of an old Instagram post where she had reminisced about their happiest years together, Linda wrote with grief: “I can’t believe he’s gone so soon. We all thought he would recover and come back. This news is truly a shock. I’m heartbroken.”
Linda acknowledged that their long marriage had faced many storms, but her feelings for Hulk never truly faded, even after their highly publicized 2009 divorce. “I loved Hulkster more than he loved me. He cheated, and it hurt so badly, but he was so famous that I could somewhat understand… Still, the pain never healed. I never started another serious relationship. I missed him. I’ve been crying all day. This sense of loss is so heavy,” she shared.
The couple married in 1983 and had two children together, Brooke and Nick. Brooke has previously stated that she had been estranged from both parents for a long time, while Nick maintained a close relationship with Hulk. Linda explained that although she had not spoken to her ex-husband for years, she still heard updates through Nick. “Even though we were broken, I still felt we were a family. Now knowing he’s gone, my heart is shattered. I tried to be strong for Nick, but I’m falling apart now. Love you, Hulkster – you were always the only man for me.”
After his divorce from Linda, Hulk married Jennifer McDaniel from 2010 to 2021, and later wed Sky Daily in 2023. Sky also expressed her grief with a loving Instagram photo just one day after news broke that Hulk had passed away at the age of 71. The city of Clearwater, Florida, confirmed that emergency responders were called to Hulk’s home on July 24th for cardiac arrest. Despite receiving on-site treatment and being rushed to the hospital, he could not be saved.
Hulk Hogan, born Terry Bollea, rose to wrestling stardom in the 1980s and went on to win a total of 12 heavyweight championships – six with WWE and another six with WCW.