A Farewell Song for Wrestling Legend HULK HOGAN: Dolly Parton’s Voice Moves Thousands to Tears in Clearwater Tribute
Clearwater, Florida — Under a sky heavy with clouds and sorrow, over 10,000 mourners gathered outside a local funeral home in Clearwater to say goodbye to one of the most iconic figures in wrestling history — Hulk Hogan.
Shoulder to shoulder, strangers became a silent congregation, united in their grief and respect. For a moment, time seemed to stand still — until one voice rose gently above the hush.
Dolly Parton, barefoot in reverence and humility, stepped to the microphone and delivered a haunting rendition of “If We Never Meet Again This Side of Heaven.” Her voice, trembling with emotion, carried across the crowd like a prayer, each note a thread of comfort and loss intertwined. The moment she sang the words “But there’s one promise I’m relying on / I’ll see you when I reach the other side,” the dam broke — and tears streamed freely.
The song, a classic gospel farewell, took on new meaning in the presence of Hogan’s family, friends, fellow wrestlers, and thousands of lifelong fans. People wept not only for the man they remembered — the towering, bandana-wearing icon who told them to “say your prayers and eat your vitamins” — but also for what his larger-than-life presence represented: courage, defiance, loyalty, and the enduring spirit of showmanship.
Dolly’s appearance was unannounced. It was not a performance. It was a gift. A tribute. And it resonated with every heart present.
“There was a kind of hush,” said one attendee. “Like heaven itself was listening.”
Though known for her glitter and grandeur, Parton’s stripped-down version of the song reminded everyone of the fragility of life and the power of music to bridge grief and memory. For many in attendance, her performance felt like a final curtain call — one that honored not just Hulk Hogan, but every hero we’ve ever had to let go.
And when she sang the last verse, her voice soft but unshaken, many said it felt like a goodbye from all of us:
“I’ll see you when I reach the other side.”
That night, Clearwater mourned a legend — but it also witnessed something rare: a farewell fit for an American icon, wrapped not in spectacle, but in song.