Bollea died Thursday at the age of 71 after emergency response crews responded to a call for cardiac arrest at his Clearwater Beach address. He was transported to Morton Plant Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. (see related story on A4).

Boyles became friends with Bollea over years of photographing him, including at Bollea’s home when the VH1 reality series “Hogan Knows Best” was filmed in the mid-2000s and at events, like the 2012 opening of Hogan’s Beach Shop, a professional wrestling memorabilia store in Clearwater Beach.

“The last time I was in there, he actually had a photograph of mine from the ribbon cutting from that day inside the shop,” Boyles said.

Boyles said one of his favorite photos he captured of Bollea was of him praying during a 2008 divorce court hearing with his first wife, Linda, who filed for divorce in 2007. Their separation was finalized in 2009.

Terry Bollea, professionally known as Hulk Hogan, cuts a ribbon on opening day of his professional wrestling memorabilia store, Hogan's Beach Shop, in Clearwater Beach, Florida, in 2012. “The last time I was in there, he actually had a photograph of mine from the ribbon cutting from that day inside the shop,” Altoona native Tim Boyles said.

“Hulk was a real, real nice man,” Boyles said. “It didn’t matter where I was shooting him … he was a gentleman and he treated everyone that I ever saw him interact with with respect.”

Before moving to St. Petersburg in 2000, Boyles was a “Hulkamaniac” who worked as a WTAJ News reporter in the 1990s — a time when Hogan famously turned heel and formed the New World Order faction in World Championship Wrestling with Scott Hall and Kevin Nash.

Hogan returned to World Wrestling Entertainment, formerly the World Wrestling Federation, after its acquisition of World Championship Wrestling in 2001 and was inducted into the company’s hall of fame in 2005.

In a statement posted on his X account, Nash addressed Hogan’s death.

“I lost another brother. Icon doesn’t even touch it. Rest in power my friend. NWO 4 Life ….and beyond,” Nash wrote.

Boyles said it wasn’t uncommon to see Bollea riding his purple motorcycle around Clearwater or eating at some of his favorite restaurants.

“It wasn’t uncommon to see him out, and people would approach him,” Boyles said. “He would pose for a picture; he would sign autographs. Hulk did it with honor and respect.”

Patton resident Craig Fitzpatrick said he had a positive interaction with Hogan at WWE World last year, when it was held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia over WrestleMania 40 weekend.

“I was excited to meet a childhood hero,” Fitzpatrick said, noting he briefly spoke with Hogan at a meet-and-greet about playing the bass guitar. Before his professional wrestling career, Bollea played bass guitar in various Florida-based rock bands.

“Of course, they rush you through. But when I told him that I play bass as well, he asked me, ‘What kind of bass do you play’ and I froze,” Fitzpatrick said, adding Hogan shook his hand and said he was looking forward to watching videos of Fitzpatrick playing the bass online.

“It’s funny how just that little bit of time stuck with me,” Fitzpatrick said.

Boyles said some of his fondest memories with Bollea were also of having conversations that had nothing to do with professional wrestling. They often spoke about “normal things” like fishing, the weather and their favorite places to eat, he said.

“He was just a really good man,” Boyles said. “Not only is Tampa Bay suffering a huge loss, but the whole world is suffering a huge loss.”

Mirror Staff Writer Matt Churella is at 814-946-7520.