Brooke Hogan Speaks Out on Hulk Hogan's Autopsy, Him Refusing to Walk Her Down the Aisle, and More

The TV personality has opened up about several aspects of her relationship with her father, including the time she asked him to walk her down the aisle when she got married.

Brooke Hogan is questioning why no autopsy was performed on her father, Hulk Hogan, following his sudden death.

During an appearance on the "Bubba the Love Sponge Show" on Tuesday, August 5, she shared that she's still trying to piece together what led to the wrestling legend's passing.

"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," said Brooke.

Her father had a calcified aortic valve and had undergone valve replacement surgery, which a doctor estimated would give him ten more years at best, making it a last-ditch effort.

While Brooke, who has a preference for holistic treatments, isn't sure the surgery was absolutely necessary. Hulk had been active and doing breathing exercises afterward, which suggested to her that the operation had been successful.

The singer also recalled a moment at home when her father's heart was racing, and she suggested he take a Valium. Although he insisted it wouldn't help, she urged him to get on oxygen, lie down, and relax. Eventually, his heart returned to a normal rhythm. For Brooke, that experience reinforced her belief that the less surgeries, the better.

Still, Hulk had gone through multiple procedures. Brooke shared that her father "had so many ablations and cardioversions" in the past — procedures meant to manage his symptoms and extend his life.

"I remember back then praying, ‘Dear God, please don't let this be the day my dad dies.' But he got through all of it," she recalled.

Hulk, born Terry Bollea, died on July 24 after going into cardiac arrest at his home in Clearwater, Florida. He was taken to Morton Plant Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 71. The Pinellas County Forensic Science Center ruled his death natural and cited acute myocardial infarction, a heart attack, as the cause.

The report also noted he had a history of atrial fibrillation and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), a cancer of the white blood cells. However, there is no public record showing that he ever battled cancer.

Brooke also expressed doubts about leukemia, saying the illness hits her as untrue because she had never heard of that diagnosis before. However, with no autopsy performed and Hulk reportedly being cremated, there's nothing she can do to prove her suspicions.

Aside from the autopsy, Brooke Hogan also opened up about the will and not being included in it. She said she loved her dad deeply but decided to cut ties after getting married to Steve Olesky and becoming pregnant with twins.

Her husband's family had shown her kindness, and at that point, she said, money didn't matter. She was okay with being taken off everything, including the will. Brooke recalled sobbing as she sent a message to Terry McCoy, the man managing her father's finances, making it clear she didn't want any conflict with Hulk or his wife, Sky Daily.

Before removing herself from the will, Brooke had asked her father to walk her down the aisle in the presence of her husband, Steve. During their conversation, she asked him if, given the chance to go back in time, he would still choose to have children, something she and Steve were considering at the time. His response was no, which left her hurt.

Despite that, Brooke told him they were planning a small wedding and that even Linda wouldn't be attending. She simply wanted her dad there, as it was tradition for a father to walk his daughter down the aisle, but Hulk declined.

He told her he didn't do weddings anymore, only funerals. When she asked if he’d make an exception for her, he still said no and told them to go ahead and enjoy their day.

As much as they were estranged, Steve said he believes his wife honored her father's wishes even after his death, showing as much courage and kindness as she could despite still being deeply hurt.

In his view, the money left behind didn't reflect success in the wrestling ring but was largely built on the back of comments that had damaged his wife's dignity.

Steve pointed to remarks Hulk made about one of Brooke's former boyfriends in audio leaked from his sex tape in 2012, where he allegedly used racial slurs and described himself as "racist, to a point."

Hulk had later sued Gawker for publishing parts of the tape and reached a $31 million settlement in 2016. Steve noted that while that payout changed one life financially, those who were truly hurt by the remarks never received a direct apology. They also never asked for or accepted any money despite the public humiliation they faced.

Steve said Brooke had been put in the difficult position of defending her father without knowing the full context of what had been said. At the time, she had not been told the remarks were connected to a sex tape or that the language used was aimed at her and her ex.

She had been misled about what the transcripts contained. Steve added that the pain from that experience is something they continue to live with every day, and no amount of money could undo it. That, is why Brooke didn't want to be included in the will or receive any of the money.

Brooke chose to focus on her family. She and Steve welcomed twins, Oliver Andrew and Molly Gene, in January 2025. According to Steve, he had reached out to Hulk about a month and a half after the twins were born, sending text messages to try and gauge where things stood, but there was no response or sign of interest.

Steve also shared that Brooke's brother, Nick, had at one point said he would come over to the house with Hulk to meet the twins, but that never happened.

Still, after Hulk's death, Brooke shared a throwback photo on her Instagram Stories showing herself as a toddler sitting on the floor playing with her father.

In the caption, she wrote that she and the twins would be heading to the beach, Hulk's favorite place, to celebrate his life and the good memories they shared.

In a post on Instagram, Brooke shared a collage of photos showing her, Steve, and their twins enjoying time at the beach. In the caption, she wrote, "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."

She continued, "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. Rest in heaven, Daddy❤️."

Hulk was laid to rest in a private funeral held in Clearwater, Florida, on Tuesday, August 5, 12 days after his passing. Family and friends gathered to honor his life at Sylvan Abbey Memorial Park & Funeral Home, located in the city where he had been living with his wife, Sky.

Photos from the ceremony showed pallbearers in black suits with orange boutonnieres carrying his casket into the funeral home. President Donald Trump also acknowledged the loss, sharing a photo of himself with Hulk and noting that he hoped others would enjoy seeing it.

It is not yet clear which of Hulk Hogan's family members were present at the funeral. He is survived by his third wife, Sky, who was reportedly at home when he died.

Hulk had two ex-wives, Linda, who divorced him in 2009 after 23 years of marriage, and Jennifer McDaniel, whom he was married to for nearly 11 years before their 2021 split. Hulk also leaves behind two children from his marriage to Linda: Nick Hogan, 35, and Brooke.