Hulk Hogan, the WWE legend who turned professional wrestling into a spectacle for the mainstream, died on Thursday, July 24.
He died at the age of 71
Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, died at 71 after a “serious medical issue.”
His death came as a shock to the world as his family had been reassuring the public about his health in the past weeks.
A 911 call reported a cardiac arrest
Police say medical personnel went to his Clearwater home before 10am after a 911 call reporting cardiac arrest.
They treated him for around an hour before he was moved to the hospital where he died at 11:17am, per The Post.
People had been speculating about his health
For weeks, rumors around Hogan’s health had been floating around following a neck surgery he underwent in May, with some even claiming he was in a coma and on his deathbed, according to TMZ.
No foul play is suspected
But Hogan’s wife, Sky Daily, denied such claims about his health back then and said that he was feeling “strong” in recovery.
No cause of death has been revealed but police say that no foul play is suspected.
The wrestler was loved around the US
Hogan, whose wrestling persona fueled ‘Hulkamania’ around the entirety of America, was the face of WWF telecasts.
He knew how to put on a show for wrestling fans, with his shirt-ripping persona ‘Hollywood Hogan’ becoming a household name.
He had a lot of crossover fame
Not all fans of Hogan knew him from watching wrestling matches, but some were from his crossover fame.
He was the first true crossover success in wrestling, with appearances in various movies, such as Rocky III and Suburban Commando.
Hogan also formed a new group in wrestling
The wrestling star also formed the group ‘nWo’ – New World Order – which he joined with fellow former WWF wrestlers in 1994.
He had many iconic catchphrases but one of the most well-known ones was, “Let me tell you something, brother.”
People wrote tributes for Hogan
Hogan received a lot of tribute messages, with President Trump leading, writing on his social media, “We lost a great friend today, the ‘Hulkster,’”
“Hulk Hogan was MAGA all the way — Strong, tough, smart, but with the biggest heart. He gave an absolutely electric speech at the Republican National Convention, that was one of the highlights of the entire week,” Trump wrote.