Former WWE wrestling star Hulk Hogan’s cause of death has been revealed, one week after his death at age 71.
Hogan, whose real name was Terry Gene Bollea, died July 24 of acute myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack, according to a copy of Hogan’s cremation report obtained by ABC News through the Pinellas County Forensic Science Center.
Hogan’s death was certified by his primary care physician. The report notes that the wrestling icon also had a history of atrial fibrillation and chronic lymphocytic leukemia, or CLL, a cancer of the blood and bone marrow, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Acute myocardial infarction is a result of the heart muscle not getting enough blood, and is commonly caused by coronary artery disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
After Hogan’s death, his wife Sky Daily wrote on social media that the former wrestling star had health complications, but did not specify further.
“He had been dealing with some health issues, but I truly believed we would overcome them. I had so much faith in his strength. I thought we still had more time,” Daily wrote in a July 25 post. “This loss is sudden and impossible to process. To the world, he was a legend… but to me, he was my Terry. The man I loved. My partner. My heart.”
Hulk Hogan, whose given name is Terry Bollea, waits in the courtroom during a break in his trial against Gawker Media in St. Petersburg, Fla., March 9, 2016.
Steve Nesius/AP, Files
Emergency officials in Hogan’s hometown of Clearwater, Florida, responded to a call for cardiac arrest just before 10 a.m. on July 24 and took Hogan to Morton Plant Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to police.
The wrestling icon’s death was confirmed by police in Clearwater and World Wrestling Entertainment.
“WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away,” the company said in a July 24 statement. “One of pop culture’s most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s. WWE extends its condolences to Hogan’s family, friends, and fans.”
Hogan’s family also shared a statement after his death, writing on social media, “It is with a heavy heart and deep sadness that we confirm we have lost a legend.”
“May we all take solace in the wonderful memories he left behind for the millions of fans worldwide whose lives he touched for more than four decades,” the statement continued.
Hogan began his professional wrestling career in 1977 and featured prominently in the World Wrestling Federation (now known as WWE), World Championship Wrestling and Impact Wrestling.
Through his run with WWE, Hogan is widely credited for helping to turn professional wrestling from a regional attraction to a mainstream phenomenon in the 1980s.
In addition to his wife, whom he wed in 2023, Hogan is survived by two children, daughter Brooke and a son Nick.
