When Nick Bollea learned that his 51-year-old mother Linda – former wife of wrestler Hulk Hogan – was dating one of his former high school classmates, he was initially taken aback.
"It was weird just because, to hear his name, Charlie Hill, I was used to hearing it around my school," Nick, 20, says in an ABC Nightline interview airing Thursday at 11:35 p.m. (EST). "When I heard it associated with my mom and dating, it was like,'God, that just sounds weird!'"
These days, he says he's "fine" with the relationship.
"Charlie is an excellent guy," he says. "He treats my mom with the most respect in the world."
His dad didn't always agree.
Last year he ranted in Rolling Stone, stating that he can relate to OJ Simpson (who has been accused of murdering his ex and her new loved one).
"He felt that he could understand how OJ could have felt those moments of rage and gone into that kind of a horrible, traumatic situation," Nick explains.
They've all learned to overcome past struggles – including Nick's 2007 car accident that left one of his pals paralyzed for life.
"That’s one the blessings that I have, my family," he says. "Above everything, my family has always been there for me, and I will always be there for my family to return the favor."
