Brooke Hogan Explains Why She Chose Not to Attend Dad Hulk Hogan’s Funeral

Brooke Hogan is opening up about why she chose not to attend her late father Hulk Hogan’s funeral.

The late WWE superstar was laid to rest in a private funeral in Clearwater, Florida, on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 12 days after he died of a heart attack at age 71 on July 24.

The service took place at Sylvan Abbey Memorial Park & Funeral Home in Clearwater, the city where Hulk, born Terry Gene Bollea, had been living with his wife, Sky Daily.

Guests including Kid Rock, Triple H and Stephanie McMahon were in attendance, but Brooke — who hasn’t been in contact with her father for the last two years — didn’t go to the ceremony.

Later on Tuesday, Brooke, 37, shared a message on Instagram explaining her decision not to attend, alongside multiple photos showing herself, her husband Steven Oleksy, 39, and their twins Oliver and Molly — whom they welcomed in January 2025 — at the beach.

Brooke wrote, “My father hated the morbidity of funerals. He didn’t want one. And although I know people grieve in many ways – and I’m so grateful for all celebrations and events organized to honor him, as his daughter, I had to make my own decision to honor him the best and most genuine way I knew how…privately…the way that made me feel the closest to him.” 

“The only thing missing today was him in is pop up lawn chair watching the waves… and the sunset 💔,” she added.

The former reality star continued, “Daddy, we honored you in the simplest way that agreed with my soul. We took our babies to the beach, and put them in the same salty waters you loved.” 

“Molly loved the water. I think she’ll be a ‘little fish’ as you called me. We love you and honor the things that made you so special. Every grain of sand and every wave reminded me of being your beach baby, and brought us closer to you. I pray you are at peace and know how dearly I love you,” Brooke continued.

She concluded, “Rest in heaven, Daddy ❤️”

Brooke also shared a post on her Instagram Stories about taking their babies to Hulk’s “favorite place … the beach” to celebrate him.

“We will be celebrating your life and all our good memories while we have our feet in the same saltwater you loved. Until we meet again, daddy,” Brooke added alongside a white love heart emoji and a throwback photo of herself and her dad.

Brooke’s message came after she appeared in a guest spot on the Bubba the Love Sponge Show earlier on Tuesday, questioning why an autopsy hadn’t been performed on her late father before he was cremated.

“I do think it’s weird that no autopsy was performed, because yes, you can have a heart attack but what was the reason for the heart attack is the question,” Brooke told her father’s ex-best friend on the podcast. 

“Because he was up and doing breathing exercises and stuff. That means that the surgery on his heart was a success and it was working,” she added.

Hulk suffered from atrial fibrillation, a common disorder that causes irregular heart beats, and also had a history of leukemia at the time of his death, according to medical records obtained by PEOPLE.

Brooke said her father “had so many ablations and cardioversions” in the past, which were interventions done to treat his symptoms and to prolong his life.

“I remember back then praying, ‘Dear God, please don’t let this be the day my dad dies,’ ” she recalled. “But he got through all of it.”

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After Hulk’s death, Brooke paid tribute to him with a lengthy, emotional message on Instagram, which included, “When he left this earth, it felt like part of my spirit left with him. I felt it before the news even reached us.”

“… I know he’s at peace now, out of pain, and in a place as beautiful as he imagined. He used to speak about this moment with such wonder and hope. Like meeting God was the greatest championship he’d ever have,” she added.