Hulk Hogan’s daughter, Brooke Hogan, reportedly didn’t want to be a part of his will specifically because of his infamous court case against Gawker.
There were muted reports of Hulk and Brooke’s years-long estrangement, but there was no actual confirmation about what caused it — or even how Brooke’s relationship with her father was affected by his racist tirade that was revealed during the Gawker trial.
The Gawker trial against Hulk Hogan was a landmark in many ways. It involved an awkward sex tape that showed Hogan having sex with his friend’s wife, Heather Clem. The tape itself was obviously controversial, but how it came about — and the legality of how it was released — immediately took precedence.
Hogan’s lawyers argued that Gawker had committed copyright infringement, but the case was dismissed. However, it turned out that Gawker had also previously made an enemy of the de facto leader of the technocrats, Peter Thiel, who funded Hogan’s next lawsuit. Eventually, Hogan won over $30 million after moving the trial to Florida. While the lawsuit ultimately bankrupted the publication, they ended up having the last laugh when they allegedly leaked court transcripts to the National Enquirer that revealed Hulk Hogan going on a racist tirade — subsequently quashing the legacy he had spent decades building.
The transcripts revealed Hogan using racial epithets about Black people, specifically criticizing his daughter, who was dating someone Black at the time. Hogan believed that if she was going to date someone Black, then it had better be a rich athlete.
Brooke’s husband, Steve Oleksy, shared that this was why Brooke ultimately didn’t want to be included in her father’s will. He revealed, “That money does not represent accomplishments in the ring — the majority of it came at the expense of my wife’s dignity. It was built on hurtful comments about her and her past relationship, which caused pain not only to her but to many other families.”
Oleksy went on to say that the only thing the couple was interested in was for his father-in-law to meet their twin sons. According to the former NHL player, Hogan’s son Nick was the person who was speaking for the late WWE legend in his final days, and he had assured the couple that he would bring their father to see the twins — one of whom is named after Hulk himself — but Hulk apparently never lived up to the promise.
The former NHL star also gave further context, according to Page Six. Oleksy says that immediately after Brooke gave birth, he texted Hulk, whom he had tried to at least stay cordial with in case of a possible reunion between his father-in-law and his wife, to gauge his interest in his grandchildren. Oleksy alleges that there was no interest shown by the WWE Hall of Famer.
Brooke’s relationship with her father seems like it was complex, but her tribute to him on Instagram will remain her final word on the matter — and as it exists, it’s one of the most beautiful things written about the man after his death. Will or no will, the family can now move forward with a clear conscience and a lighter heart unburdened by “what ifs.”
