Brooke Hogan Opens Up About Loss and Healing on HGTV’s “Rock the Block”
HGTV’s “Rock the Block” features not just impressive designs but also deeply personal stories, especially for Brooke Hogan. The new season holds special significance for her, particularly in light of her father Hulk Hogan’s passing.
Nearly nine months after the wrestling icon’s death, Brooke shared with Fox News Digital her ongoing struggles with regret and the unanswered questions that linger. “I talk to my dad every day…‘What were you doing? I really wish you were still here.’ There’s this nagging feeling that I could have saved him, but then again, it’s complicated. If love could have saved him, he’d still be here,” she confided.
Confronting Grief and Regret
Reflecting on what she would say to her dad now, Brooke expressed, “I’m just glad the pain is gone.” She acknowledged that his struggle with pain was intense and mentioned, somewhat paradoxically, that she feels they’ve developed a better relationship now, as she can be more honest with him.
Hulk Hogan, whose real name was Terry Gene Bollea, passed away from a cardiac event on July 24, 2025, at 71. At the time, Brooke and her father were estranged. She expressed how frustrating it is that she’ll never get the answers she sought. “Even when he was alive, I tried reaching out, but he often shut down those conversations. He didn’t want to show vulnerability,” she noted.
Finding Connection Through Loss
Brooke recently shared a poignant black-and-white illustration on social media, depicting her father holding her as a child, and wrote about how her love could have saved him. Despite the emotional distance, she feels that their connection remains strong.
“I talk to him all the time now, even if it sounds a bit crazy,” she admitted. She longs for the moments when they could have shared more. The estrangement certainly affected her professionally too.
While filming “Rock the Block,” Brooke had to wrestle with doubts about whether her father truly understood what she had built for herself. “I often wondered if he recognized the challenges of starting something from scratch,” she said. Landing the “Rock the Block” gig felt like a significant milestone, yet she found herself questioning, “Did he really get how important this was to me?”
A Personal Journey Amidst Competition
Brooke has channeled both her father’s competitiveness and her own determination during this season of “Rock the Block,” which pairs her with real estate expert Scott McGillivray. The season is set in Las Vegas and features celebrity designer duos competing in home renovations.
McGillivray has shown awareness of Brooke’s emotional journey, admitting that it influenced how he interacted with her on set. He described their collaboration as therapeutic, revealing that their discussions often went beyond design elements and delved into deeper emotions.
As the pair navigate the pressures of the competition, Brooke reflects on her father’s legacy while grappling with what remains unspoken between them. The current season also features pairs like designer Tanya Nayak with Drew Lachey, and Mina Starsiak Hawk with Vernon Davis, all competing for renovation supremacy hosted by Ty Pennington.
“Rock the Block” airs Mondays at 8 PM ET, inviting viewers not only to witness incredible transformations but to experience the unique stories of the contestants as they face their personal challenges.
