Brooke Hogan Explains Why She Chose Not to Attend Dad Hulk Hogan’s Funeral: ‘People Grieve in Many Ways’

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

The late WWE legend was laid to rest during a private service in Clearwater, Florida, on Tuesday, Aug. 5, nearly two weeks after he died of a heart attack at age 71 on July 24. The ceremony was held at Sylvan Abbey Memorial Park & Funeral Home in Clearwater, where Hulk — born Terry Gene Bollea — had been living with his wife, Sky Daily.

Guests included Kid Rock, Triple H and Stephanie McMahon, but Brooke — who had been estranged from her father for the past two years — was not among them.

Later that day, Brooke, 37, posted a message on Instagram explaining her absence. Alongside photos of herself, her husband Steven Oleksy, 39, and their twins Oliver and Molly — born in January 2025 — enjoying a beach day, she shared her personal reasoning.

“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,” Brooke wrote.

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

The former reality star went on, “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.”

She closed her tribute with, “Rest in heaven, Daddy ❤️.”

On Instagram Stories, Brooke also shared that she took her children to Hulk’s “favorite place… the beach” as a way of celebrating 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,” she wrote, alongside a white heart emoji and a throwback photo with her father.

Earlier that same day, Brooke appeared on the Bubba the Love Sponge Show, where she questioned why no autopsy had been performed before her father 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,” she said. “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.”

Hulk had been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation — an irregular heartbeat — and also had a history of leukemia at the time of his death, according to medical records obtained by PEOPLE. Brooke noted that her father had undergone “so many ablations and cardioversions” over the years to help manage his condition.

“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.”

After his passing, Brooke honored her father with another heartfelt Instagram tribute, writing, “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.”