Florida’s Governor is honoring the ultimate Florida Man and the biggest star in the history of professional wrestling.
Ron DeSantis is ordering flags at half-staff on Friday, August 1, a date that will be known as “Hulk Hogan Day in Florida” from now on.
“Rest in peace, brother,” DeSantis posted to X Thursday.
The order honoring the man whose non-kayfabe name was Terry Bollea applies to state buildings and to Pinellas County, which the man with the 24-inch pythons called home for decades.
“Hogan was born in Augusta, Georgia, but moved to Tampa at a young age. He began his wrestling career in 1977 and rose to fame after joining World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Hogan was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame twice, first in 2005 and again in 2020 as a member of the New World Order. His larger-than-life personality will be missed, as the “Hulkster” was an icon for many who grew up in the 80s and 90s, as well as today. He was a true Floridian through and through,” the proclamation reads.
In the wake of Hogan’s death earlier this month, DeSantis described Hogan as a “major icon for anybody in Gen X” and a “superhero.”
He then discussed one of Hogan’s most famous matches at WrestleMania III.
“He’s fighting Andre the Giant. And look, I was a kid. I didn’t know that it was choreographed, right? I mean, I was like really worried that he wasn’t going to be able to, but he slammed Andre the Giant,’ DeSantis recounted, saying the moment was “a huge thing for kids in that era.”
The two met up earlier this year, with DeSantis sharing a beer with Hogan at his bar in Clearwater Beach. Two of DeSantis’ children also met the Hulkster.
“We were with him just a couple of months ago. My kids got to meet them and everything. So I was really sad to see that. And our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and people throughout this region of Florida, because I know so many people cared about him.”
Hogan stayed active and in the public eye until the very end. He marketed a beer brand earlier this year and appeared at last year’s Republican National Convention on behalf of Donald Trump.
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