As far as road trips go, Hulk Hogan‘s two-day visit to Texas seemed surprisingly upbeat this week.
Greeting fans, signing autographs and cracking open his own-brand beers with those infamous ’24-inch pythons’, the WWElegend seemed remarkably relaxed despite recent and very public escalations in therift with his ex-wife and estranged daughter.
Behind the scenes, however, it’s a very different story.
For the Daily Mail can reveal that the 71-year-old is ‘heartbroken’ about the family feud – particularly with his 36-year-old daughter, Brooke.
In fact, an insider tells us the drama has got bad that Hogan is not only reflecting on his relationship with the TV personality and singer, whom he hasn’t spoken to in eight years, but he also fears for his wider reputation.
Now a beer entrepreneur (he owns Real American Beer), Hogan is hoping to speak to Brooke directly and ‘make amends’ for past behavior.
‘The massive uphill battle might finally be taking place,’ our source says.
‘Hogan is finally hearing and listening to those that have been thrown in different directions by his behavior. He is looking to make up for past bad decisions.’
Hulk Hogan, 71, is ‘heartbroken’ about the ongoing family feud – especially with his estranged daughter Brooke
The wrestler’s ex-wife Linda, left, has blamed him for the breakdown of her relationship with 36-year-old Brooke, center
Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, was thrown to the top of the news cycle last week when his ex-wife Linda posted an tearful video on Instagram, blaming him for the breakdown of her relationship with their daughter Brooke.
Linda, who was married to Hogan for 26 years until 2009, claimed Hogan was a ‘complete liar [and] a sex addict’ who had left their family in the ‘worst mess’.
It sparked a fierce back-and-forth with Brooke also chiming in to insist that her father was not the only reason she had cut contact with her mother.
While Brooke has never fully confirmed her reasons for losing touch with either parent, she said this weekend that she had been ‘verbally and mentally abused since childhood’. She made sure to stress that the allegations were ‘not pointed at either person’.
It has also been claimed that Brooke’s husband, hockey playerSteven Oleksy,hasmade several failed attempts to ‘foster peace’.
But for his part, Hogan – whose family became famous on the 2005 reality TV show Hogan Knows Best – has largely kept quiet about the rift.
His only response seemed to be a bizarre social media video last weekend which showed him eating popcorn with his current wife, Sky Daily, and the caption: ‘Getting ready for the new HH TV show!’
But, despite his seemingly mischievous response, it can be revealed that the saga has led him to reflect on his relationship with Brooke – and his wider standing.
Our insider said: ‘Everyone now has a story about Hogan in and out of the wrestling business, and it isn’t always good.
‘In the wrestling business, you’ve got to be a politician to get your way. You always have to make yourself look good and make it look like everyone else has it wrong – and Hogan is a master at it.
‘Sometimes, he is right in what he does and says, but sometimes he isn’t. When that is used towards his family, it adds so much drama to a situation.
‘He will admit he hasn’t been the best husband and father. Lots of times he has been Hulk Hogan instead of Dad or Terry. All these people are the same but have different volumes to themselves and that can really mess with people, especially those that Terry loves the most.’
Last weekend Hulk Hogan shared a bizarre video eating popcorn with his wife Sky Daily, pictured, seemingly mocking the family feud
He is said to want to make amends with Brooke, pictured, whom he has not spoken to for eight years
Brooke’s husband Steven Oleksy, pictured, has reportedly made several failed attempts to ‘foster peace’ with the WWE legend
While they said he wants to stay as ‘far away from Linda as possible’, our source added: ‘He’s heartbroken that he doesn’t have a relationship with his daughter and would love someday to rectify that.
‘As this current drama has occurred and all the s*** that he has gone through piles on to itself, he is finally looking to see if he can make amends and help rather than hurt.
‘He knows that many will think it is a boy who cried wolf situation, and it will be hard to trust him – but he is looking to do the work. Nothing will be overnight but now that his daughter and his ex-wife have said their things, he is taking it to heart and hopefully it will lead to a change for the better.’
This week it was reported that former NHL star Oleksy, who married Brooke in 2022, had requested a ‘man-to-man conversation’ with Hogan.
But it is understood that the WWE legend believes the damage can only be repaired by speaking to Brooke directly.
‘Terry loves his daughter but there is a lot of pain with that relationship and he doesn’t believe having a conversation with her husband will actually do anything,’ a source said.
‘If anything is going to get better with him and Brooke, Terry believes [the only way] is if he actually has a conversation with her to hash out everything.
‘But it will take a minor miracle to set all that in motion. Even with all this adversity being out in the public, [that] won’t spearhead any talks.’
Hulk and Linda, who have two kids together, were married for 26 years between 1983 and 2009
It marks the latest drama for Hogan this year, who was booed off wrestling show Monday Night Raw in January amid claims other wrestlers had ‘talked lowly’ of him.
‘It has been a very trying few months for Terry, but he isn’t allowing it to get to him, and he is living his life the way he wants to live it,’ our source says.
‘He still considers himself a good father and a good person. He just wants to live life with his new wife, with less stress, hang out at his restaurant, do karaoke on Mondays, sell his new beer and just be Hulk Hogan.’
The Daily Mail has approached Hogan for comment.