Hulk Hogan revealed way he was stopped 'self-destructing' after heartache

Wrestler Hulk Hogan once revealed how he got through a difficult period of his life despite considering "giving up". The WWE star said at the time that he could have "self-destructed" but made a decision to lead a different life instead.

It's been announced that Hulk, whose real name is Terry Bollea, has died, aged 71. The news has led to aspects of his life attracting renewed attention this week, with him having given insights into his life on occasion over the years.

Hulk had been vocal about his faith and attributed it to having helped him get through his first divorce. He previously shared that he had been "saved" as a teenager when he accepted Jesus Christ into his life. He once revealed that he later strayed from his faith, before finding his way back.

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Back in 2009, Hulk, who had been going through a divorce with his first wife Linda Claridge, told TMZ that aspects of his personal life, including their split, had "weighed so heavy on him". He said that he had to "dig deep" to figure out if he was going to "give up" or not, before telling the outlet at the time: "I chose to keep going on and leaned on my religion."

He said that he had been "saved" when he was 14, when he "accepted" Christ, who died on the cross and "paid" for the wrestler's sins, as his saviour. Hulk also recalled a friend from a church telling him about being positive.

Hulk recalled being told about "the power of positive thinking". He said: "I could have went the wrong way. I could have self-destructed, I could have been laying in a gutter somewhere, but I chose to take the high road."

Years later, in 2023, Hulk announced that he had been baptised. Alongside photos from the ceremony, he wrote on X: "Total surrender and dedication to Jesus is the greatest day of my life. No worries, no hate, no judgment… only love!"

Months prior, he had posted: "I accepted Christ as my savior at 14yrs old, and the training, prayers and vitamins kept me in the game but now that I am one with God, the main event theme of surrender, service and love makes me the Real Main Event that can slam any giant of any size through the power of my Lord and Savior and so it is, even now brother, AMEN!"

Speaking about his religion on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, in an episode released in 2023, Hulk said that he had several Bibles at home and attended church regularly.

Reflecting on his life, he said at the time that after accepting Christ as his saviour as a teenager, he later "derailed". Hulk added that he got "way away from" his faith.

He added: "Then as the years went by, y'know, I started seeing how things went and it's got me to the point now where I'm locked back in." He continued: "After all the life experiences. Seeing how people live and what money does to people."

Hulk said that it wasn't about his relationship with religion itself. He said on the podcast, released two years ago: "That relationship I have, not so much with religion, but with our Lord and saviour is what I function on, y'know." He said that it had been a "gradual" transition of returning to his faith.

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