The wrestling world is reeling. Terry Gene Bollea—Hulk Hogan to millions—passed away on July 24, 2025, at 71. Reports say he suffered a cardiac arrest at his home in Clearwater, Florida, early Thursday morning. Despite a frantic 911 call and the efforts of paramedics, the man who carried wrestling on his back for decades couldn’t be saved. For fans like me, who grew up as wide-eyed Hulkamaniacs, it’s an elbow to the gut from off the top turnbuckle. Hogan wasn’t just a wrestler; he was a living, breathing superhero. Just last month, in June 2025, rumors swirled about Hogan’s health after he had neck surgery. Some corners of the internet claimed he was on his deathbed, but his team shot that down, saying it was just routine stuff. He’d also gone through a major heart operation earlier this year, which someone close to him called “pretty serious.” Still, Hogan kept going, pushing his Real American Freestyle wrestling league and showing up for fans with that same old fire. The fact that he was out there, still larger than life, makes his loss sting even more. Hogan was born August 11, 1953, in Augusta, Georgia, and grew up in Port Tampa, Florida. He didn’t start as a global icon—he was just a kid with a dream who found his calling in the late ’70s. By 1983, when he signed with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE), he became the guy who put wrestling on the map. His “Hulk Hogan” persona—bandana, blond mustache, that red-and-yellow gear—was electric. He headlined eight of the first nine WrestleManias, drawing crowds like no one else. His defining moment came at WrestleMania III in 1987, when he faced the 520-pound Andre the Giant. In front of 93,000 fans at the Pontiac Silverdome, Hogan did the unthinkable: he lifted Andre and slammed him to the mat, a feat that shook wrestling fandom. That body slam wasn’t just a move; it was a statement that Hulkamania could conquer anything. His 1988 match against Andre on The Main Event later drew a record 33 million viewers, proof that Hogan was a cultural force. Beyond the ring, Hogan was everywhere. He flexed his charisma in Rocky III and No Holds Barred, starred in Hogan Knows Best, and even tried his hand at music with The Wrestling Boot Band. Wrestling was always his heart, though. He earned two WWE Hall of Fame inductions—one in 2005 for his solo work, another in 2020 for the nWo. Hulk Hogan as Thunderlips in Rocky III Hogan wasn’t perfect. In 2015, a leaked recording caught him using racial slurs, sparking outrage and a temporary WWE ban. He apologized, and they brought him back in 2018. His personal life had its share of mess too—a rough divorce from his first wife, Linda, and a public falling-out with his daughter, Brooke. Still, to many fans, he stayed a hero, a symbol of an era when wrestling felt like a mythic battleground. Andre the Giant faces off against Hulk Hogan in WrestleMania III 1987 Growing up, I was glued to the TV every time Hogan stepped into the ring. Ripping his shirt, dropping the leg, staring down guys like The Iron Sheik or Randy Savage—it was like watching Superman in a wrestling ring. That WrestleMania III moment, hoisting Andre into the air, felt like proof he could do anything. His call to “say your prayers and eat your vitamins” wasn’t just some catchy line; it was a kid’s roadmap to being strong, standing tall, and never giving up. Even now, as an adult, those words hit home—a reminder to keep fighting, no matter what life throws at you. Hogan’s legacy isn’t just in the titles or the sold-out arenas. He turned wrestling into a global stage, paving the way for what WWE is today. Losing him feels like losing a piece of my childhood, but his message still rings true. So tonight, I’ll say a prayer and maybe even choke down some vitamins, because that’s what the Hulkster would want. Keep the faith, stay strong, and carry on. Rest in peace, brother.The post Hulk Hogan, Wrestling’s Larger-Than-Life Hero, Gone at 71 first appeared on Worth it or Woke.