Brooke Hogan is addressing the online backlash she is facing months after the death of her father, wrestling icon Hulk Hogan.
The former reality TV star defended herself against criticism over a bikini photo shared in a post paying tribute to her dad, after she was accused of seeking attention.
Brooke Hogan previously opened up about their strained relationship and her growing regrets over removing herself from Hulk Hogan’s will before his death.
Brooke, daughter of wrestling legend Hulk Hogan, has finally spoken out after facing backlash online for sharing a bikini photo as part of an emotional tribute to her late father.
The 38-year-old recently posted a series of Instagram photos honoring Hogan, who died from a heart attack at age 71 last July.
However, some social media users criticized the first image in the post, which showed Brooke relaxing on a beach in a bikini, with several commenters mocking the photo and questioning her choice to include it in a post about grief.
In response, Brooke returned to Instagram with a strongly worded message defending herself and challenging the criticism.
Sharing unflattering edited beach photos of her body, she questioned whether people would have viewed her grief as more sincere if she looked different, writing: “Would my post have been more sincere if THIS girl were at the beach mourning her dad?”
Brooke Hogan Says She Doesn’t Have To Explain How She Grieves To ‘Ignorant People Who Haven’t Walked’ In Her Shoes
Brooke explained that the beach and ocean hold deep emotional significance because she spent much of her childhood by the water with her father along Florida’s Gulf Coast.
She said the photo she posted was never intended to be provocative and revealed that after taking it, she spent time processing her emotions and looking through old pictures of her dad.
The former reality TV star also opened up about the complicated nature of her relationship with Hogan in his final years.
Although she said they loved each other deeply, Brooke explained that she eventually chose to distance herself from him for the sake of her “safety and sanity” after years of trying to repair their relationship.
In a lengthy caption, Brooke criticized people for judging experiences they knew nothing about, saying she was under no obligation to “explain to ignorant people who haven’t walked in my shoes – how I lost my dad – before I lost my dad.”
Hulk Hogan’s Daughter Says ‘Trolls’ Need To Go Back Under Their ‘Bridge’
Brooke later addressed critics more directly, expressing frustration with online commenters who she said acted as though they fully understood her relationship with her father.
She wrote in the caption of her post, “I understand that not a lot of the world gets that. But this is my home. This is me. This is my one of many days I grieved my dad. Shame on anyone for demonizing it.”
Brooke emphasized that both she and Hulk Hogan were human and that outsiders could never truly know what happened behind closed doors.
“I am a human. My father was human,” she noted. “And you people have the nerve to act like you’re experts on ANY topic or know anything about my experience with him? Even my closest family has no clue what I know and have experienced.”
“And you come at me with your ignorant opinions and nasty comments, hiding behind your screens? Go back under your bridge, trolls,” the angry reality star concluded.
Brooke Hogan Reflects On Strained Family History And Past Trauma
Brooke, who is married to former NHL player Steven Oleksy, shares twins Oliver and Molly with him.
She previously appeared with her family on a VH1 reality series before becoming estranged from both of her parents following their 2009 divorce and the show’s conclusion.
One of the most painful moments in Brooke’s relationship with her father came after the release of Hogan’s leaked 2015 sex tape, which included racist comments about Brooke and her then-boyfriend, Yannique Barker.
Reflecting on the scandal in an earlier interview with Us Weekly, Brooke said the emotional impact on the family was often overlooked while public sympathy focused largely on Hogan himself.
“My dad got so much, like, ‘Oh my gosh, poor Hulk,’” she told the publication. “He’s going through this. He’s fighting the s-x tape thing.’ I’m like, ‘What about us?’ We were the subject of it.”
Brooke Hogan Reflects On Painful Fallout From Removing Herself From Hulk Hogan’s Will And Calls Situation A ‘Nightmare’
Brooke has also recently spoken candidly about the fallout from removing herself from her father’s will before his death.
In 2023, while estranged from Hogan, she reportedly asked to be removed from the will in an effort to avoid future family conflict and initially said she had no regrets about the decision.
Now, months after Hogan’s death, Brooke admits the situation has become far more difficult than she anticipated.
Speaking to Page Six, she described feeling powerless when it comes to protecting or helping manage her father’s legacy, calling the aftermath a “nightmare.”
“I can’t do anything to help my dad after his death, or to find out answers,” she said, adding that “the people that I so badly wanted to get away from are now running the show, which is even more of a nightmare.”
According to reports, Hogan’s son, Nick Hogan, inherited the estate, while Hogan’s third wife, Sky Daily, is listed as a surviving spouse.
Brooke also alleged that when she requested sentimental belongings connected to her father, including a crucifix, she instead received only “a pair of flip-flops and a couple of T-shirts he never wore.”
Despite the ongoing tension, Brooke insisted her concerns are not about money or inheritance, but about losing any ability to protect her father’s memory and legacy.
Looking back, she admitted there are things she “would definitely be doing differently” if given another chance.
