Dozens gather at Florida church for Hulk Hogan's funeral service

LARGO, Fla. — Dozens of people gathered Tuesday evening at a funeral service for famed wrestler Hulk Hogan, who died last month at 71. The private service was held at the same church where Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, was baptized in 2023. He died after suffering a heart attack July 24 at his home in Clearwater, according to the Pinellas County medical examiner. Hogan previously had leukemia and atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart rhythm, the examiner's report said. His death was declared to be natural. The service was heavily patrolled by church security and Largo police officers, including K-9 dogs. Anyone not on the guest list was turned away near signs that read, "Private Event." President Donald Trump posted a photo on his Truth Social platform showing him arm wrestling Hogan, saying, "They are having the 'Hulkster's' funeral today, and I thought everybody would enjoy seeing this picture." Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered flags flown at half-staff at all official buildings last Friday, which he declared "Hulk Hogan Day in Florida." Hogan was perhaps the biggest star in WWE's long history, known for both his larger-than-life personality and his in-ring exploits. He was the main draw for the first WrestleMania in 1985 and was a fixture for years, facing everyone from Andre The Giant and Randy Savage to The Rock and even WWE co-founder Vince McMahon. Hogan was also a celebrity outside the wrestling world, appearing in numerous movies and television shows, including "Hogan Knows Best," a reality show about his life on VH1. Hogan's body will be cremated. His daughter Brooke Bollea Oleksy, better known by her stage name Brooke Hogan, memorialized her father in a recent social media post. "I am so grateful I knew the real version of him. Not just the one the world viewed through a carefully curated lens," she wrote on Instagram.