Dwayne Johnson has regrets about not making things right with his late father, WWE wrestler Rocky “Soulman” Johnson, before his sudden death in 2020.
The Black Adam actor, 51, took to Instagram on Friday, March 1, to share a throwback video of himself as a kid watching his dad raise a title belt in the air after a wrestling match.
“Just delivering flowers to heaven to my old man, Rocky ‘Soulman’ Johnson,” Dwayne captioned the post. “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 continued: “He came up the hard way, and trail-blazed for all of us men of color – in any sport & level of entertainment. But it was also very important to him to pave the way for all men, any color – it didn’t matter. My regret in this life is that I never had a chance to say goodbye to him, because he died suddenly. 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 more I live life, the more grateful I am for it.”
Dwayne concluded his post, “See you down the road, Soulman 🕊️ 💐.”
Fans shared their condolences and memories of Dwayne’s father in the comments section. “WOW! Your dad was certainly an inspiration,” one user wrote. A second added, “I saw your dad wrestle in the WCCW in Dallas when I was a kid.”
The Rock has been vocal about his father, who died of a heart attack in January 2020, often expressing remorse for not putting their differences aside. The two weren’t on speaking terms at the time of Rocky’s death.
In August 2023, Dwayne shared an Instagram video of himself speaking to an audience for his father’s birthday.
“I wish I had one more shot,” he said in the video, holding back tears. “I wish I had one more shot to say ‘goodbye,’ to say ‘I love you,’ to say ‘thank you,’ to say ‘I respect you.’ But I have a feeling he’s watching. He’s listening.”
He continued: “My dad taught me ‘respect is given when it’s earned, so get out there and earn it.’ Actually, he would say ‘so get your ass out there and earn it.’ He made sure I was at the gym, even at 5 years old he was kicking my ass on the wrestling mats.”
Shortly after his father’s death, Dwayne shared a throwback video of his dad wrestling.
“I love you,” he captioned the Instagram post. “You broke color barriers, became a ring legend and trail blazed your way thru [sic] this world. I was the boy sitting in the seats, watching and adoring you, my hero from afar.”
Rocky began his professional wrestling career in the mid-1960s and retired in 1991. The father-son duo were once close, with Dwayne gifting his dad a new home in March 2019 and noting it “felt good” to give him something so special.
One month prior, Dwayne called his father to tell him that he wanted to “do something for [him]” by purchasing him a home. The Jungle Cruise star shared how the conversation unfolded with his dad in an Instagram video.
“It’s a big weekend, he’s gonna go look at properties,” Dwayne said of his father in the clip. “He’s a Florida boy, so he’s going to go up to North Florida and look and he goes, ‘I’m so excited. I’m also so nervous.’ My dad’s an old-school tough guy.”
