Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has shared a moving message to his father, WWE Hall of Famer Rocky Johnson, who died earlier this week at the age of 75.
He took to Instagram to share an old clip of his father wrestling during his heyday, alongside a long caption filled with love and admiration.
"I love you," he wrote. "You broke color barriers, became a ring legend and trail blazed your way thru this world. I was the boy sitting in the seats, watching and adoring you, my hero from afar. The boy you raised to always be proud of our cultures and proud of who and what I am. The boy you raised with the toughest of love."
He added: "Dad, I wish I had one more shot to tell you, I love you, before you crossed over to the other side. But you were ripped away from me so fast without warning. Gone in an instant and no coming back. Im in pain. But we both know it’s just pain and it’ll pass. Now I’ll carry your mana and work ethic with me, as it’s time to move on because I have my family to feed and work to accomplish."
You can read the full message below.
Johnson was a prominent figure in professional wrestling, launching his career in 1964 as a member of the National Wrestling Alliance. Later, he would become one half of the first black duo to win the WWF Tag Team Championship. After his retirement in 1991, he groomed Dwayne, who later adopted the moniker "Rocky Maivia" as a tribute to his father and grandfather.
