Dwayne Johnson shared a memory of his father Rocky in honor of Black History Month on social media Friday.
The professional wrestler passed away in 2020 at age 75.
The actor, 51, who is in talks to reprise his role as Maui in a Moana sequel, shared a video of his father’s victory in the ring, with the tear-jerking song My Old Man by Zac Brown playing beneath the action.
In a heartfelt post, The Rock, who followed his dad into the wrestling ring, wrote, ‘Just delivering flowers to heaven to my old man, Rocky “Soulman” Johnson.’
The wrestling champ explained, ‘My dad, along with “Mr USA”, Tony Atlas made pro wrestling history by becoming the first ever Black Heavyweight Tag Team Champions for the @wwe.’ They won the championship on December 10, 1983.
The WWE Smackdown! star praised his dad, saying, ‘He came up the hard way, and trail-blazed for all of us men of color – in any sport & level of entertainment.’
Dwayne Johnson, 51, shared a memory of his late father Rocky in honor of Black History Month on social media Friday; pictured in Daytona Beach on February 19
‘But it was also very important to him to pave the way for all men, any color – it didn’t matter.’
Dwayne, who appears in the video as a teenager proudly watching his Pop change the world, wrote of something many adult children feel about their parents.
‘My regret in this life is that I never had a chance to say goodbye to him, because he died suddenly.’ Rocky Johnson died of a heart attack January 15, 2020
‘I regret not reconciling our complicated father/son s**t before I lost him. Raised me with tough fatherly love and an even tougher hand.’
The father of three, who shares daughters Jasmine, eight, and Tiana, five, with wife Lauren Hashian. He shares oldest daughter Simone, 22, with ex-wife Dany Garcia.
Looking back on the parenting lessons he learned from his dad, the Fast X star claimed, ‘The more I live life, the more grateful I am for it.’
‘See you down the road, Soulman,’ he wrote, adding the hashtags; #blackhistorymonth #wwe.
The tough guy shared a tender moment recently with the founders of The Live For Lily Rose Foundation, who formed the non-profit after losing their daughter to cancer.
The wrestling champ shared a video of his father’s historic WWE win. ‘My dad, along with “Mr USA”, Tony Atlas made pro wrestling history by becoming the first ever Black Heavyweight Tag Team Champions for the @wwe,’ he explained, using the hashtag #blackhistorymonth
A young Dwayne, who would follow in his father’s footsteps was there for the history making moment
Rocky Johnson and Tony Atlas, known as The Soul Patrol, won the World Tag Team Championship on December 10, 1983
The actor, who lost his dad to a heart attack in 2020 at the age of 75, said, ‘I regret not reconciling our complicated father/son s**t before I lost him. Raised me with tough fatherly love and an even tougher hand’ (Pictured in Orlando, FL in March 2008)
In meeting her parents Esperanza and Edwin, the actor learned that Moana was one of Lily’s favorite movies. As she watched the Disney film with her father she would often tell her him, ‘daddy you’re my Maui.’
In spite of his tough guy persona, the Rock has a soft heart and often participates in granting wishes as part of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
‘Some stuff in life, I don’t quite understand — so somewhere along the line I got lucky and blessed to be put in this position,’ he wrote of his experience meeting 21 young people through the organization earlier this year.
‘What a day. What a blessing. Grateful to my core,’ he said.
