Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson says he is “full of gratitude” for the love and support he’s received in the wake of his father’s death.
The actor’s legendary pro-wrestling father, Rocky Johnson, passed away last week at age 75.
The younger Johnson posted an almost eight-minute video Sunday on his official Instagram account in which he expressed his appreciation.
“Hard to express how deeply grateful I am for all your love, mana & support,” the caption read. “My family and I thank you. Go hug your loved ones hard, while you still can. I love you. DJ #ripsoulman.”
The wrestler-turned-actor said during the video, “My heart is so full of gratitude.”
“As you know, I lost my old man a few days ago, I lost him just like that, didn’t get a chance to say goodbye to him,” Johnson said. “I’d give anything right now to give him a big ol’ hug and a big ol’ kiss before he crossed over and just say thank you and I love you and I respect you. But I didn’t get a chance to say that. But such is life, as many of you know, based on the messages that you have shared with me, that many of you understand this pain when you lose a parent.”
Johnson acknowledged people were curious about how his dad died. He said his father’s death was “quick.”
“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 blood clot in the leg,” Johnson said. “It was a big ol’ blood clot that broke free, traveled up his body, and went right to his lung, clotted his lung, and he died very quickly from a massive heart attack, just like that.”
Johnson said he planned to start writing the eulogy he will give at his father’s funeral on Tuesday.
“I’ve written a lot of speeches for myself over the years, but I have no idea where to start with this one,” Johnson said. “But I do have my tequila and I can hear him now, ‘Good, that’s the way you’ve got to do it.’ I can also hear him now, ‘Make sure you put me over in the speech, say good stuff about me.'”