As tributes pour in for Hulk Hogan, who died at the age of 71, the man who selected him to reign over Bacchus in 2008 is reflecting on how the man was larger than life but had an even bigger heart.
“He loved being in New Orleans,” said George Grimes, with the Bacchus Kings Committee. “He told me about several events, wrestling events that he had done in New Orleans. He loved our food. He loved the culture. But for the most part, he just loved the people. He was here for four days. I could have brought him to Children’s Hospital all four days. That’s how much he wanted to give of himself.”
Hogan said one of the reasons he accepted the offer to reign as Bacchus XL was the krewe’s special relationship with Children’s Hospital. Each year, the Krewe of Bacchus’ king visits Children’s Hospital to meet the patients. In 2008, Grimes said they got an extra special experience.
“Hulk stayed at the Children’s Hospital for probably an hour longer than we had scheduled. He wanted to interact with every child,” Grimes said. “It was more important to him than the festivities of Mardi Gras. It was more important to him than being Baucus. It was just about using his persona to make people happy.”
Hulk Hogan said he was excited to come to New Orleans during this time because the city was rebuilding following Hurricane Katrina.
On Feb. 3, 2008, he took to the streets of New Orleans. As the krewe celebrated 40 years, it also included a first. It was the first time a reigning monarch would be featured on a float in the same year.
“Barry Kern built about a 25-foot Hulk Hogan on the front of a float,” Grimes said. “It was one of the things that we showed Hulk in the den, and he was blown away by it. It was the first time that we ever had an actual king depicted in his own parade. It was pretty amazing.”
Grimes describes Hogan as the ultimate showman. As he was dealing with his own pain from previous surgeries and injuries, he would always put on a brave face for the crowds and his fans.
“Every time he walked out the hotel, any time there was a camera or a person. He was Hulk Hogan. When we would walk back in the hotel, he would just melt because he lived a life. He was in pain all the time from surgeries,”Grimes said.
The pain now is for those who recognize the loss of an entertainment giant — one who will forever hold a place in carnival culture.
READ MORE:Bacchus leaders reflects on when Hulk Hogan reigned as king
