HOGAN
I woke up today to news I honestly wasn’t ready for.
Hulk Hogan, Terry Gene Bollea, passed away. I felt a part of my childhood quietly slip away with him. It’s strange how someone you’ve never met can leave such an imprint on your heart. I guess heroes have a way of doing that.
As a kid, one of my favorite memories of my dad and me was watching him, eyes wide, glued to a flickering television as Hulk Hogan stormed into the ring, draped in his iconic yellow and red, the roaring crowd echoing my excitement. To my young heart, Hulk Hogan wasn’t just a wrestler; he was larger than life, a beacon of strength, hope, and invincibility. Watching him defeat Andre the Giant at WrestleMania III felt like watching David defeat Goliath. I remember my dad grinning as I cheered wildly, convinced in that moment that anything was possible.
But looking back now, through grown-up eyes, it wasn’t really about wrestling moves or the vibrant costumes or even the victories. It was deeper than that. We all have this innate longing to believe. We ache for someone to lead us, to inspire us, to give us courage. We need heroes, because they remind us of what we could be, what we aspire to become. Hulk Hogan was that for me, and for millions around the world.
I vividly recall the day, around age twelve or thirteen, when I discovered that wrestling wasn’t quite the fierce battle I’d believed it was. Honestly, I felt crushed. Like something precious had been stolen. Yet, as I matured, I realized something more powerful: the magic wasn’t really in the fight itself, it was in the story. It was about good triumphing over evil, redemption winning over brokenness, and courage rising even from defeat. The narratives Hulk Hogan brought to life mirrored what every heart secretly longs for, the hope of overcoming, the possibility of restoration.
It was always heartbreaking when Hulk would turn heel and play the villain for a while. But oh, how incredible it was when he’d come back around to the side of good! There was something profoundly real about that cycle, something human and relatable. Perhaps, deep down, he was searching too… Longing for something or someone greater to look up to, someone to lead him, just as we all do.
And then came the moment a few years ago that I’ll never forget. Hulk Hogan, my childhood hero, the invincible champion, publicly shared that he had given his life to Jesus and had been baptized. Hearing him share his story, watching him humbly admit his own need for a Savior, was profoundly moving. The man I’d spent so many childhood days wanting to become, stood vulnerably before the world and pointed upward, saying there was someone even greater, someone truly worth believing in: Jesus.
In his own words, Hogan once said: “When I finally accepted Jesus, something inside changed forever. I found what I’d been looking for my whole life… PEACE.” The man who embodied power, who conquered giants and captured the imaginations of millions, found his greatest strength on his knees, surrendered at the feet of Jesus. That day, it felt like my childhood wonder had returned, richer and deeper this time, infused with truth and grace.
Today, as I think about Terry standing in the presence of Jesus, completely restored, renewed, reconciled, I’m filled with an overwhelming sense of hope. He’s no longer wrestling with doubt or regret. No more pretending, no more illusions… Just pure freedom in the presence of his Savior. He spent decades inspiring us to believe, to hope, to dream. Yet his greatest act of courage was stepping into that truth himself, recognizing the limits of human strength and reaching out for divine grace.
So today, as I honor Terry Gene Bollea, I also celebrate something even bigger than Hulkamania! I celebrate the reality of a God who meets us in our humanity, in our searching, in our brokenness. Because the ultimate hero, the one Hulk Hogan himself pointed us toward, is Jesus. The true conqueror, the only lasting hope.
Rest easy, Hulk. Thank you for every childhood memory, every cheer, every powerful lesson. And most of all, thank you for reminding us that true strength isn’t about muscles or victories, but about surrendering to the one who conquered everything on our behalf.
Today, the hero of my childhood finally meets the Hero of all eternity.
Hulk Hogan, Terry Gene Bollea, passed away. I felt a part of my childhood quietly slip away with him. It’s strange how someone you’ve never met can leave such an imprint on your heart. I guess heroes have a way of doing that.
As a kid, one of my favorite memories of my dad and me was watching him, eyes wide, glued to a flickering television as Hulk Hogan stormed into the ring, draped in his iconic yellow and red, the roaring crowd echoing my excitement. To my young heart, Hulk Hogan wasn’t just a wrestler; he was larger than life, a beacon of strength, hope, and invincibility. Watching him defeat Andre the Giant at WrestleMania III felt like watching David defeat Goliath. I remember my dad grinning as I cheered wildly, convinced in that moment that anything was possible.
But looking back now, through grown-up eyes, it wasn’t really about wrestling moves or the vibrant costumes or even the victories. It was deeper than that. We all have this innate longing to believe. We ache for someone to lead us, to inspire us, to give us courage. We need heroes, because they remind us of what we could be, what we aspire to become. Hulk Hogan was that for me, and for millions around the world.
I vividly recall the day, around age twelve or thirteen, when I discovered that wrestling wasn’t quite the fierce battle I’d believed it was. Honestly, I felt crushed. Like something precious had been stolen. Yet, as I matured, I realized something more powerful: the magic wasn’t really in the fight itself, it was in the story. It was about good triumphing over evil, redemption winning over brokenness, and courage rising even from defeat. The narratives Hulk Hogan brought to life mirrored what every heart secretly longs for, the hope of overcoming, the possibility of restoration.
It was always heartbreaking when Hulk would turn heel and play the villain for a while. But oh, how incredible it was when he’d come back around to the side of good! There was something profoundly real about that cycle, something human and relatable. Perhaps, deep down, he was searching too… Longing for something or someone greater to look up to, someone to lead him, just as we all do.
And then came the moment a few years ago that I’ll never forget. Hulk Hogan, my childhood hero, the invincible champion, publicly shared that he had given his life to Jesus and had been baptized. Hearing him share his story, watching him humbly admit his own need for a Savior, was profoundly moving. The man I’d spent so many childhood days wanting to become, stood vulnerably before the world and pointed upward, saying there was someone even greater, someone truly worth believing in: Jesus.
In his own words, Hogan once said: “When I finally accepted Jesus, something inside changed forever. I found what I’d been looking for my whole life… PEACE.” The man who embodied power, who conquered giants and captured the imaginations of millions, found his greatest strength on his knees, surrendered at the feet of Jesus. That day, it felt like my childhood wonder had returned, richer and deeper this time, infused with truth and grace.
Today, as I think about Terry standing in the presence of Jesus, completely restored, renewed, reconciled, I’m filled with an overwhelming sense of hope. He’s no longer wrestling with doubt or regret. No more pretending, no more illusions… Just pure freedom in the presence of his Savior. He spent decades inspiring us to believe, to hope, to dream. Yet his greatest act of courage was stepping into that truth himself, recognizing the limits of human strength and reaching out for divine grace.
So today, as I honor Terry Gene Bollea, I also celebrate something even bigger than Hulkamania! I celebrate the reality of a God who meets us in our humanity, in our searching, in our brokenness. Because the ultimate hero, the one Hulk Hogan himself pointed us toward, is Jesus. The true conqueror, the only lasting hope.
Rest easy, Hulk. Thank you for every childhood memory, every cheer, every powerful lesson. And most of all, thank you for reminding us that true strength isn’t about muscles or victories, but about surrendering to the one who conquered everything on our behalf.
Today, the hero of my childhood finally meets the Hero of all eternity.
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