EXCLUSIVE: Hulk Hogan Suicide Shocker — How Split From Wife Drove Tough-Talking Wrestler to Almost End it All
Hulk Hogan came close to ending his life after his marriage collapsed in a very nasty divorce.
April 24 2026, Published 2:49 p.m. ET
Hulk Hogan came close to ending his life after his marriage collapsed – a disclosure RadarOnline.com can reveal has left friends stunned and reeling at the scale of the late wrestling icon's private struggles.
The 71-year-old star, born Terry Bollea, made the admission in an interview recorded shortly before his death in July 2025 for the Netflix documentary Hulk Hogan: Real American.
Hulk Hogan Opens Up On Divorce And Rock Bottom Moment
Hulk Hogan confessed to a 'rock bottom' suicide attempt during his mid-2000s personal crisis.
It charts his rise to global fame and the personal turmoil which followed, including his bitter split from wife Linda Hogan, now 66, who he married in 1983 before divorcing in 2009.
The breakdown of the relationship in the mid-2000s, he said, triggered a period of intense emotional and financial distress that saw him spiral into substance use and despair.
"I went home and I started drinking and you know started eating pills, and I just went down this rabbit hole for a couple days and the next thing I know, I'm sitting in front of my bathroom with a gun in my mouth and not knowing what I was doing," Hogan confessed.
"I hit rock bottom. I gave Linda 70 per cent of everything because I just didn't want to ever talk to her again, be with her, I never wanted to see her again. So, I gave her everything to get rid of her and after the divorce I had no money. I was broke, and so TNA (Total Nonstop Action Wrestling) saved me."
Shocking Revelations Leave Friends Stunned
Hogan surrendered the majority of his wealth to Linda Hogan to end their marriage in 2009.
Those close to the wrestler said the revelations have been deeply shocking.
One longtime associate said: "People knew Hulk's divorce was difficult, but the severity of what he went through has taken many by surprise. There is a real sense that he carried far more than anyone realized."
Another source added: "Hulk always projected toughness, so hearing how close he came to the edge has been incredibly difficult for friends to process. It has changed how many of them look back on that period."
Hogan's comments also touched on the financial fallout of his split from Linda, with the wrestler describing how he relinquished a significant portion of his wealth in order to sever ties with his ex.
Linda admitted in the film that her love for the wrestling icon 'never faded' despite their split.
The couple shares two children, Brooke, 36, and Nick, 34, and their separation was widely publicized at the time.
Despite the acrimony, Linda reflected in the documentary on her enduring feelings for her former husband, particularly during periods of ill health later in his life.
"I still care about him the same, it doesn't go away," she said. "I wish things would've turned out differently for us. But then when he got sick, I realized that my love never faded for him. I still had love for him. I really do. I still love him."
Donald Trump Joins the Documentary
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President Donald Trump filmed a special tribute to Hogan at the White House earlier in 2025.
The documentary also features an appearance from Donald Trump, 79, filmed at the White House earlier in 2025.
Director Bryan Storkel said Hogan personally facilitated the interview, reaching out to Trump to secure his involvement.
The filmmaker added: "There's a nice little surprise interview with Donald Trump, which (Hulk) helped me set up. We went to the White House and interviewed Trump and he talked all about Hulk Hogan."
He added the process required persistence, noting it took multiple attempts before Trump agreed to participate.
Storkel said Hogan had intended to attend the interview but was unable to do so due to a medical procedure.
"Hulk was supposed to go with us, but he ended up going in for a surgery right before that," he said.
He also described speaking to Hogan shortly before the meeting took place in Washington – adding: "I'm there on the phone with Hulk Hogan outside the Oval Office, and he was so excited we got the interview. That's the last phone call I had with him, actually."
