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It initially appeared Hulk Hogan had died of a heart attack after he passed away at the end of July. However, his daughter Brooke came forward to counter that narrative, and the wife of the pro wrestling legend has echoed that sentiment by suggesting his death may have been linked to a botched surgical procedure.
The world has lost a number of pro wrestling icons who played an instrumental role in making that pastime the sensation it is today, and Hulk Hogan became the latest one to leave it behind when he died in Florida at the age of 71 on July 24th.
The man who was born Terry Bollea managed to make the most of his more than seven decades on the planet, and after he passed away, we learned he’d been battling leukemia and other health issues that worsened after he underwent surgery to address a pinched nerve in his neck midway through May.
His death certificate cited a cardiac arrest as the official cause of death, but earlier this month, his daughter Brooke began to publicly question the circumstances surrounding his passing while implying there was information concerning the real story that hadn’t come to light—and it appears she was correct based on a new development.
Hulk Hogan’s wife implied the wrestler’s death may be linked to a nerve that was allegedly severed when he had a neck fusion
Brooke, who had a starring role with her brother Nick and her mom (and Hogan’s first wife) Linda, on the VH1 reality series Hogan Knows Best, has spent the past couple of weeks pushing for officials to take a closer look at the circumstances surrounding her father’s death.
Earlier this month, she strongly implied she believed there may have been foul play involved. She also recently alluded to body cam footage that was captured by first responders who were dispatched to the home on the day of Hogan’s death, saying it had the potential to “change the narrative.”
On Thursday, TMZ introduced a new twist after speaking with sources at the Clearwater Police Department who told the outlet that the report that was filed by the officers who responded to the call at his home spoke with an occupational therapist who told them Hogan was a victim of “medical malpractice” who had his phrenic nerve “severed” during a recent surgery.
Sky Daily, the yoga instructor Hogan married in 2023 and who called 911 after he stopped breathing, corroborated that claim by saying the nerve has been “compromised” during a procedure; the nerve in question is responsible for making the diaphragm expand and contract and subsequently plays an instrumental role in respiratory function.
Clearwater police also acknowledged they’re still investigating his death, issuing a statement that reads:
“We have been in communication with family members — including his son, Nick, and daughter, Brooke.
The unique nature of this case has required us to interview multiple witnesses and seek medical records from a variety of providers, and our detectives continue to do that. All of this takes time.”
It sounds like it will still be a while before that investigation wraps up, but it will certainly be worth keeping an eye on.