He had not been feeling well, had been battling a cold and infection and on Tuesday he had what’s called a deep vein thrombosis, which is essentially a clot in the leg. WWE did not give details on the cause or location of Johnson’s death. He formed a tag team with Atlas, known as “Soul Patrol”, and became one of the popular teams of the era. Our thoughts and prayers are with his entire family. Man to man. And i love it and i love you and i love you guys.'. To enable Verizon Media and our partners to process your personal data select 'I agree', or select 'Manage settings' for more information and to manage your choices. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group, Treat yourself to the perfect entertainment bundle with NOW TV's offers, Get a discount code to save on your internet security, Discover a range of promo codes on kitchen appliances, Find Just Eat's special deals and offers this week, Listen to podcasts and books for less with these offers. Rocky and Dwayne, who was a WWE wrestler from 1996 to 2004, had a close father-son relationship. Rocky “Soul Man” Johnson, a WWE Hall of Fame wrestler who became better known as the father of the actor Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson, has died.He … A representative for Dwayne Johnson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The intense work. I was the boy sitting in the seats, watching and adoring you, my hero from afar. 'From Washington DC, weighing 250 pounds, Rocky Johnson!' You’ve lifted my spirits in ways that I hope you can imagine.'. “You broke color barriers, became a ring legend and trail blazed your way thru [sic] this world. He was 75. Together, the athletes were the first African-American World Tag Team champions in WWE history. Who then grew to become a man realizing you had other deep complex sides that needed to be held and understood. WWE broke the news on Wednesday, January 15, that the Jumanji: The Next Level star lost his father at the age of 75. Rocky ‘Soulman’ Johnson poses in the ring. Rocky was a huge wrestling star in his own right … And by Sunday the action star shared what his father died of: a heart attack. Paying tribute: Johnson paid tribute to his late father, WWE Hall Of Famer Rocky Johnson, on Friday. Johnson, born Wayde Douglas Bowles, married into the famed Anoa'i family after he wed "High Chief" Peter Maivia's daughter Ata Maivia. The Rock inducted his father into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2008. Dwayne Johnson went on to say that his father raised him with tough love that shaped him and helped him learn the value hard work and discipline. Johnson and Tony Atlas became the first black world tag-team champions in WWE history when they defeated the Wild Samoans on 10 December 1983. The hard hand. Rocky Johnson, right, with his ex-wife Ata Johnson and their son, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, at a ceremony honoring Dwayne Johnson at TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California, on May 19, 2015. I love you dad and I'll always be your proud and grateful son. We and our partners will store and/or access information on your device through the use of cookies and similar technologies, to display personalised ads and content, for ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Part of the A360 Media Entertainment Group.Powered by WordPress.com VIP, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window). Grateful that you gave me life. He was a champion everywhere he went including holding the NWA Georgia Championship. I’m also so nervous.’ My dad’s an old-school tough guy.”, When asked why he was nervous the former wrestler told the Ballers alum that “no one ever called to tell me they were gonna buy me a house before and the fact that it’s you, it’s my son. Rocky "Soul Man" Johnson, a former professional wrestler who was the father of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, has died at age 75. Johnson also said: 'A lot of you guys wanted to know what happened to my dad. Rocky and Dwayne, who was a WWE wrestler from 1996 to 2004, had a close father-son relationship. pic.twitter.com/0AFyuu4AR3, RIP to the great Rocky Johnson and condolences to his family and friends. You broke color barriers, became a ring legend and trail blazed your way thru [sic] this world. “I never heard my dad talk like that,” the father of three admitted. Dwayne Johnson said his father was kicked out of his house on Christmas Day when he was just 13 and was forced to live on the streets. “It’s a big weekend, he’s gonna go look at properties,” Dwayne said of his father in the video. The tribute featured video of Rocky, known as the 'Soul Man', in the ring, along with a moving message expressing his appreciation for his father. This was the catalyst to the rise of one of the biggest stars the pro wrestling business has ever known. “He’s a Florida boy, so he’s going to go up to North Florida and look and he goes, ‘I’m so excited. He was an amazing man who I admired greatly! 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. Thank you. A father’s love. 'You lived a very full, very hard, barrier breaking life and left it all in the ring. 'The adoring boy who wanted to know only your best qualities. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: wwe | pageType: stories | My heart is so full of gratitude. © 2004-2020 CBS Interactive. We extend our heartfelt condolences at this difficult time to his friends and family. And my empathy turned to gratitude. Blair said Johnson’s wife, Sheila, was distraught over her husband’s death. Rocky Johnson Thoughts and prayers to the family, I am so sorry to hear of the passing of the great Rocky Johnson. "He's a weathered soul and like all weathered souls, there's often a harsh storied path that got them there," he captioned the video. Gone in an instant and no coming back. He spent the majority of his career in the National Wrestling Alliance and later joined the then World Wrestling Federation in the 1980s. Diana Dasrath is entertainment producer and senior reporter for NBC News covering all platforms. The comments below have been moderated in advance. The Rock shared memories of his dad in a heart-felt Instagram post he shared Friday, just one day after it emerged the wrestler had passed away at age 75. 'As you know, I lost my old man a few days ago. Dwayne Johnson and Rocky Johnson at his Hand And Footprint Ceremony held at the TCL Chinese Theatre, in Los Angeles, California. 'I love you. The WWE confirmed Johnson had passed away at age 75 on Thursday. Johnson came to his son’s aid after a match at WrestleMania in 1997. All Rights Reserved. God Bless you Rocky until we see each other in heaven!! ', Show of strength: Johnson, known as Soul Man, began his wrestling career in the mid 1960s. The boy you raised to always be proud of our cultures and proud of who and what I am. How celebrity childhood sitcoms are taking over TV. Johnson - born Wayde Douglas Bowles - began his wrestling career in the mid-1960s, according to THR.com, but only found fame a couple of decades later when he joined the WWE in 1983.