Brian Damage
Mostly everybody in the world knows the name Hulk Hogan. Even people who may not be wrestling fans identify Hogan whether it be from the squared circle or his movie career. Hulk Hogan was also known for his four seasons on the reality show ‘Hogan Knows Best.’ A television program that followed the day to day life of the Hulkster and his family. It starred Hulk of course, along with his wife Linda, daughter Brooke and his son Nick.
As with most reality shows, Hogan’s family became instant celebrities to match their already iconic father and husband. The show lasted until 2007 when a tragedy struck the Hogan family and television producers were forced to cancel the program. On August 26th, 2007, Hulk’s son Nick was allegedly racing his father’s canary yellow Toyota Supra with another friend named John Graziano in the passenger seat. According to police, Nick ‘Hogan’ Bollea was driving over 60 miles per hour on a stretch of road that had a 40 mph speed limit. Additionally, the roads were previously wet from a recent rainfall. Nick lost control of his vehicle and crashed it into a median in the road and eventually smashed into a palm tree. Both Nick Hogan and his passenger, 22-year-old Graziano, were rushed to a local medical facility for treatment. While both suffered injuries, it was Hogan’s friend who suffered the gravest of them.
John Graziano, a marine, suffered permanent and severe brain damage as a result of the crash. Nick Hogan was released from the hospital the very next day. Nick was charged with several violations and turned himself in to police in November of 2007. Hogan’s lawyers argued that the real reason Graziano Jr was injured was not because of Nick Hogan, but because Graziano was not wearing a seatbelt. Eventually, Nick Hogan would enter a no contest plea and was sentenced to eight months in prison and five years of probation after that. At first, Nick Hogan would serve time in a juvenile detention center but would be moved to a normal prison after he turned 18 years old.
While in prison, several of Hogan’s phone conversations were recorded with one of them having Nick state that the victim and friend of his Graziano was a “negative person.” All of those phone conversations were given to the media. After serving five months of his eight month sentence, Hogan was released on good behavior. The other side of this story was the victim in that horrible crash, Graziano. While Nick Hogan was behind bars and John Graziano was fighting for his life in a hospital, John’s father Ed Graziano allegedly was involved in a hospital brawl with his wife’s family. Ed Graziano fled the scene before police arrived. A domestic violence injunction was issued to Graziano. He would violate that injunction by returning to the hospital and was arrested. The parents of both Nick Hogan and John Graziano would separate and divorce during this difficult period of time.
The Graziano family would sue both Linda Hogan and Hulk and Nick separately in civil suits. It was reported that the family received about 5 million dollars in the suit with only 1.5 million left over after legal fees and medical bills. The entire story, however, does not end here because, as you will find out, it took a rather bizarre twist. Ed Graziano would attempt a murder plot on his wife Debra Graziano. Ed allegedly tried to hire a hit man to kill his wife in what was supposed to look like an automobile accident. Ed Graziano was dealing with financial troubles after he divorced his wife Debra. Somebody tipped police off that Graziano was plotting her murder. So, an undercover cop posed as the hit man. It was then reported that Graziano also allegedly talked about killing Linda Hogan as well. Perhaps as revenge for the whole situation that occurred previously.
Ed Graziano offered the undercover cop $1,100 up front with another $1,000 in a personal check and, for some strange reason, a gift card for $13.06. Graziano was arrested and charged with murder solicitation. Graziano was ultimately found guilty and sentenced to 10 years in prison. The tragedy did not end there. In 2012, John Graziano’s brother Michael was killed in a car accident. Michael was the passenger in a car where the driver was drunk. Michael Graziano was just 24 years old. Despite all these tragedies, Debra Graziano says she has found comfort in God and is at peace. While Hulk Hogan may have been a part of a soap opera in pro wrestling and had a reality show in Hogan Knows Best, nothing could be stranger and more unreal than the real-life saga that unfolded here.
David Fullam
White trash scum.