When Hulk Hogan passed away, many expected the family to gather and say their farewells in the usual way—funeral, service, speeches. But one key family member was notably absent from the funeral, and it immediately sparked speculation. Was it a snub? Was there something wrong between them? Surprisingly, no. It turns out that absence was anything but a slight or a sign of conflict.
Brooke Hogan, Hulk’s daughter, made a choice that might seem unusual in our world full of formal ceremonies and public mourning. She decided not to attend the funeral, but not out of hurt or rebellion. Rather, she wanted to honor her father’s wishes—something deeply personal and private. In a heartfelt Instagram post, Brooke explained that her dad hated funerals. He found them morbid, something he simply didn’t want. So, rather than forcing a traditional goodbye, she chose her own way to say goodbye.
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Honoring a Father’s Wishes with a Quiet Day by the Beach
Brooke’s tribute was simple—very simple. She, her husband Steven Oleksy, and their kids went to the beach, the place that had special meaning for Hulk Hogan. She described it as the way that felt closest to him and to herself—a personal ceremony away from the spotlight. She wrote about how every grain of sand and each wave reminded her she was her dad’s “beach baby.” It sounds almost poetic, but it’s also just an honest, gentle remembrance that makes sense when you think about someone who avoided the morbid nature of traditional funerals.
What’s touching here is that Brooke didn’t criticize the funeral or those who chose to attend. She acknowledged the many ways people grieve and said she appreciated seeing the love shown to her father. There’s something reassuring in that—her approach was just another valid form of tribute, one that might feel unorthodox but no less genuine. And it’s a reminder that honoring someone’s memory doesn’t always look the same for every person.
Reflections on a Father Who Avoided Both Weddings and Funerals
Brooke also spoke about this on “The Bubba the Love Sponge Show.” There, she shared a revealing story about how her father had once refused to walk her down the aisle at her wedding. He didn’t do weddings or funerals, he said—those were just not his thing. Even when she asked him for an exception, he stood firm, saying, “You can’t get me to leave the beach.” That phrase sort of captures his spirit, doesn’t it? A man who loved the beach and wanted to avoid those traditional markers of life’s big events.
Maybe it sounds a bit stubborn, or maybe it just reflects someone who lived on his own terms. It might even feel a little contradictory—how can you avoid these big family moments? But that’s the thing with people, especially public figures like Hulk Hogan: they are complicated. Brooke’s way of letting go echoes that complexity. The only element missing in her beach farewell was him, sitting quietly in his lawn chair, watching the sunset—a silent witness rather than a center stage figure.
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Grief Without Rules: A Personal Journey
There’s something almost soothing about Brooke’s approach. Sometimes, grief wants to stay hidden, simple, private. Sometimes it refuses the usual rituals that can feel more performative than heartfelt. Brooke’s story gently reminds us that maybe there’s no one right way to say goodbye. It might be messy, incomplete, and even, dare I say, imperfect. But it’s real.
So while some may have expected a traditional funeral scene, what Brooke gave her father instead was a day that felt honest to their relationship—a quiet, sand-between-the-fingers kind of farewell that says so much without saying anything loudly at all. In that, she found a connection, a closeness, and a way to honor Hulk Hogan that feels sincere and full of love.
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