The past several days, famous deaths did not come in 3 but in four: Malcolm-Jamal Warner of The Cosby Show, Ozzy osbourne, heavy metal Superstar, Chuck Mangione wonderful jazz instrumentalist, and the “Real American” who brought professional wrestling to the world’s people who had never paid any attention to it before, Hulk Hogan.

Before I start, I want you all to understand that I recognize that Terry Bollea, known professionally as Hulk Hogan, was a flawed man.

However, we all have our flaws, as there was only one Perfect Man who died for our sins.

My Daddy was a professional wrestling fan, having grown up in the Greatest Generation, whose wrestling heroes included the great Lou Thesz and fabulous Jackie Fargo.

Being Memphis born and bred, my wrestling heroes included Jackie Fargo, Eddie Marlin, and Tommy Gilbert

Then, out of nowhere, came this loud mouth named Jerry Lawler, who becamr a legend, and wound up having a hand in training dozens of young professional wrestlers, including a young guy that they called Flex Kavana in Memphis, who wound up being the Rock.

Oh, and there was this guy named Hulk Boulder who came through, also.

You guessed it. That was Hulk Hogan.

Hogan tapped into and influenced the popular culture of the 1980s in a way that no wrestler ever has and possibly never will.

Hogan and WWF owner Vince McMahon marketed Hogan to the point where everybody knew who he was and either watched the wrestling shows that the then-WWF produced or their kids did while holding on to their stuffed Wrestling Buddy doll of Hulk Hogan.

The WWF grew from a regional wrestling company operating mainly in the Northeast to a worldwide juggernaut.

Hulk Hogan appeared in movies and starred in an action series on TV, which was produced at Disney World.

The explosion of cable television channels, including MTV, accelerated the popularity of Hogan and the WWF to the point where music industry stars like Cyndi Lauper guest starred at the company’s pay-per-view extravaganza, Wrestlemania.

Eventually, Hogan and McMahon had a falling out due to a court case involving steroid usage in which Hogan testified against McMahon.

Hogan signed with WCW, a rival organization which did not last long.

From there, Hogan’s professional career started spiraling downward as he wound up with an even smaller company known as TNA.

His personal life wasn’t doing well at all, as his family fell apart as a casualty of his fame and wealth.

Hulk was still making personal appearances and even reconciled with McMahon, participating in some matches in the now-WWE in his later years.

In the last few years, something happened to Hulk Hogan that was undoubtedly the best thing to ever happen to him. He got  remarried to a young woman, and they both found our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and were baptized

Hulk Hogan started sharing his faith.

Those who saw him in public and private said he never seemed happier.

The Saga of Hulk Hogan, the man who changed professional wrestling into how we know it today, is not a story of a celebrity who went from rags to riches to rags again.

Rather, it was about a man who experienced the heights of wealth and fame only to find out what truly matters: the love and forgiveness that Our Redeemer brings.

Until He Comes,

KJ