Hulk Hogan Had No Interest in Meeting Grandchildren
Hulk Hogan, 2005. Photo courtesy of Petty Officer 1st Class Kristin Fitzsimmons, USN. Public domain.
Hulk Hogan's death in July 2025 closed the final chapter on a legendary wrestling career, but it also left behind a deeply personal and painful story of family estrangement. The wrestling icon never met his newborn grandchildren, twins Oliver Andrew and Molly Gene, born in January 2025 to his daughter Brooke Hogan and her husband Steven Oleksy. According to Oleksy, Hogan showed "no interest" in meeting the twins, as reported by PEOPLE — a heartbreaking detail that underscores the fractured relationship between father and daughter in Hogan's final years.
A Legend's Final Days Shadowed by Distance
Hulk Hogan, born Terry Gene Bollea, passed away at 71 in Clearwater, Florida, from a heart attack after a private battle with leukemia and other health issues. Despite Brooke's reported efforts to be close to her father, including moving to Florida and caring for him through multiple surgeries, the emotional distance between them never closed. According to Page Six, their last known conversation took place in September 2023, months before Hogan's death, but it did not heal the rift that had grown over the years.
Oleksy, a former NHL player, revealed that he maintained contact with Hogan in hopes of mending the family ties, especially after the twins were born. He reached out to Hogan "about a month and a half after" the birth, as reported by PEOPLE, sending text messages to gauge his willingness to connect. The response was silence. Even an offer from Brooke's brother Nick to bring Hogan to meet the twins never materialized. The twins, named Oliver Andrew and Molly Gene, carry the legacy of their grandfather's name, yet they never had the chance to meet the man behind the wrestling legend.
The Private Struggles Behind Public Fame
Brooke Hogan's public tribute to her father painted a picture of a complicated relationship marked not by explosive fights but by a series of private conversations. She described their estrangement as a quiet unraveling, saying, "My father and I never 'fought.' It was a series of private phone calls no one will ever hear know or understand," as reported by Page Six. According to PEOPLE, Brooke shared that she "had to step away" from the relationship in recent years "to protect [her] heart," even as she remained deeply connected to her father's struggles.
Despite the emotional distance, Brooke was a devoted daughter in many ways. She was present for every surgery Hogan underwent in his final years, traveling on her own dime to be by his side. She meticulously tracked his medical treatments and medications, becoming his closest confidante in navigating his health battles. "No one understood his body, procedures, medications and everything else more than my wife," Oleksy said of his wife, as reported by PEOPLE. Yet, even this dedication could not bridge the gap that had formed between them.
A Legacy Tarnished by Estrangement
The estrangement extended beyond missed family moments. Brooke reportedly asked to be removed from Hogan's will, a decision driven by mistrust of those surrounding her father in his final days. Oleksy suggested that Brooke's choice was motivated by a desire to protect "her dad's best interests even after his death," according to Page Six. He lamented that Hogan's fortune was built at the expense of Brooke's "dignity," referencing the pain caused by hurtful comments and racial slurs Hogan allegedly made about Brooke's former boyfriend, which were exposed in a leaked sex tape years earlier.
This painful family history adds a layer of complexity to Hogan's public persona as a beloved wrestling icon. His larger-than-life character in the ring contrasted sharply with the private struggles and fractured relationships that defined his final years.
Brooke's Memories and the Road Ahead
Despite the heartbreak, Brooke Hogan's reflections on her father reveal moments of warmth and nostalgia. According to the Associated Press, she expressed gratitude for knowing the "real version" of Hogan beyond the public image, cherishing the love they shared even amid distance. Her tribute was a bittersweet acknowledgment of a bond that was never fully broken, even if it was never fully healed.
For fans and observers, the story of Hulk Hogan and Brooke Hogan is a poignant reminder that fame and fortune do not shield families from pain and estrangement. It is a tale of missed opportunities, private battles, and the complicated legacies left behind by those who live in the spotlight.
The Final Curtain
Hulk Hogan's death marked the end of an era in professional wrestling, but it also closed a chapter on a deeply personal family saga. The fact that he never met his grandchildren, despite their arrival in the same year he passed, adds a tragic note to his legacy. It is a story that invites reflection on the human side of celebrity-the joys, the sorrows, and the relationships that define us beyond the public eye.
As Brooke and her family continue their lives in Florida, they carry forward the memories of a father and grandfather who was both a legend and a man with his own struggles. The Hogan family's story is a vivid example of how even the brightest stars can cast long shadows, and how love and loss often walk hand in hand behind the scenes of fame.
References: Hulk Hogan had 'no interest' in meeting daughter Brooke's twins before his death | Hulk Hogan Showed No Interest in Daughter Brooke's Twins, Says Her Husband (Exclusive) | Hulk Hogan died of a heart attack, medical examiner says
