How Did Hulk Hogan Die? Inside the WWE Star's Quiet Health Struggles at the End of His Life
How Did Hulk Hogan Die? Inside the WWE Star's Quiet Health Struggles at the End of His Life
Emily BlackwoodThu, April 23, 2026 at 12:30 PM UTC
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Hulk Hogan attends a New Era In Florida Gaming Event on December 08, 2023 in Tampa, Florida.Credit: Julio Aguilar/Getty -
Hulk Hogan died of a heart attack in July 2025
The WWE champion kept his declining health, which included a history of leukemia and heart issues, private
Months before his death, Hogan completed his Netflix docuseries Hulk Hogan: Real American
Hulk Hogan died over a decade after retiring from wrestling.
The theatrical WWE champion and controversial TV personality had just finished his Netflix docuseries, Hulk Hogan: Real American, months before he died of a heart attack in July 2025. The four-part project, which was released on April 22, would be his final interview.
“I can't predict what the final act of the story is gonna be,” Hulk, who retired from wrestling in 2012, said in the docuseries. “But the legend of Hulk Hogan will live forever.”
Though the wrestler's declining health can be seen in Hulk Hogan: Real American, his death still came as a surprise to his son, Nick Bollea, who called it "shocking and sudden" in an April 2026 interview with PEOPLE.
Hulk shared Nick and his daughter, Brooke Hogan, with his ex-wife, Linda Hogan. Following his divorces from Linda and his second wife, Jennifer McDaniel, he married influencer Sky Daily in 2023.
So, how did Hulk Hogan die? Here's everything to know about the professional wrestler's death and final days.
How did Hulk Hogan die?
Hulk Hogan during his Hulkamania Tour on November 24, 2009 in Perth, Australia.Credit: Paul Kane/Getty
Hogan died of an acute myocardial infarction, which is more commonly known as a heart attack.
According to the dispatch audio from the day of his death, first responders responded to a call for a person suffering cardiac arrest. They attempted to revive the wrestler with CPR for 30 minutes before he was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Medical records obtained by PEOPLE revealed that Hogan had atrial fibrillation, a common disorder that causes irregular heartbeats, and a history of leukemia, a type of cancer that affects white blood cells, which he had not made public.
The medical examiner ruled the manner of his death as natural.
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Where did Hulk Hogan die?
Hulk Hogan attends the premiere of "War Of The Worlds" on June 23, 2005 in New York City.Credit: Evan Agostini/Getty
On July 24, 2025, around 9:51 a.m. local time, police were called to Hogan's $11 million beachfront home in Clearwater Beach, Fla., which he bought in 2012, per the Robb Report.
He was transported to Morton Plant Hospital about a half hour later, where he was declared dead, per a report from the Clearwater Police Department.
Just days before his death, his manager, Jimmy Hart, denied that the pro wrestler was experiencing any health issues, writing in a since-deleted post on X that he was "doing phenomenal" and had just spent a night singing karaoke with his son.
"It's almost like disbelief that it happened, because he was just always talking about how grateful he was for that day and excited for the next day and to see the sunrise," Nick later told PEOPLE. "The hardest part is never being able to fully prepare for something like that."
How old was Hulk Hogan when he died?
Hulk Hogan visits SiriusXM Studios on October 13, 2011 in New York.Credit: Andrew H. Walker/Getty
Hogan, born Terrence Gene Bollea on Aug. 11, 1953, was 71 when he died, just shy of turning 72. Though he had been retired from wrestling for over a decade, he said in Hulk Hogan: Real American that he still felt "35 or 40 years old."
"I feel okay, but it's a pain in the butt, you know, because I have my son take the tops off water bottles all the time for me because I can't turn 'em," the WWE legend told filmmakers. "Keeps me humble, keeps me very grateful."
What was the public’s reaction to Hulk Hogan’s death?
The WWE mourns the loss of Hulk Hogan during SmackDown on July 25, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio.Credit: WWE via Getty
The impact of Hogan's death was felt across the wrestling world. In the weeks following, the WWE paid tribute to the 12-time world champion during SmackDown, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared Aug. 1, 2025, as "Hulk Hogan Day" in the state.
Though he was laid to rest in a private funeral, fans also shared their gratitude for the famed wrestler's contributions to the sport.
"You sold out every arena and stadium across the country in your prime as Hulk Hogan, on your way to becoming the greatest of all time," actor and former pro wrestler Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson wrote on Instagram.
He continued, "From deep in my bones, and on behalf of this wild and crazy world of professional wrestling that we love, I say to you now, and forever... thank you for the house, brother… thank you, for the house."
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
