August 19, 2025 • 10 mins
On this episode of Our American Stories, before Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson became a global icon, he was the son of a wrestling legend. Rocky “Soulman” Johnson’s career in WWE helped pave the way for future champions, but his most lasting impact was at home. In this emotional tribute, The Rock shares memories of his father’s relentless work ethic, his ability to command a room, and the challenges and triumphs that shaped their relationship.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
And we continue with our American stories. A blood clot
was the cause of death for Rocky Soulman Johnson, the
WWE Professional Wrestling Hall of Famer and father of Hollywood
actor Dwayne the Rock Johnson. Johnson died at the Florida
home his son bought for him. He was seventy five.
(00:33):
Rocky began wrestling at the age of sixteen and retired
in nineteen ninety one, but he went on to train
his son to become a wrestler. Here's Dwayne the Rock
Johnson paying tribute to his.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Father and wish I had one more shot, you know,
just that you say goodbye, I say I love you,
say thank you, respect you. But you know, I have
a feeling he's watching, he's listening. I know my dad
will be saying, kay, fave the tears. You know, you
(01:13):
try and you think about, well, what am I gonna write?
And this is you know, you don't Yeah, you don't
know what to write for eulogy. It's your dad. You
don't expect it, as you guys know, you know, he
went very quick. I was on my way to work
the other day on January fifteenth, and I was just
pulling into work and we were shooting that day and
it was the very first day of production. And then
(01:34):
I get a call from my wife Lauren, who said,
you know, hey, I just spoke to Cora. It seems
like something's going on with your dad. And Lauren was
with our she was with our babies, she was with
(01:59):
my mom, and she said, you know, I really can't talk.
She goes, I think you should call Coor though, so
of course I called Kor Cora. You know, she broke
the news to me. And right when she broke the news,
I was literally just pulling it and I'm looking at
the whole crew, hundreds of guys and women milling around
and carrying equipment and waving at me in the truck
and waving back, and it all got really foggy, and
(02:22):
it seemed like it was just a big dream. And
you know how you have those moments you can try
and shake yourself out.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
Of it and you're like, no, it's not a dream.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
My dad's gone. And in that moment, I just thought, well,
what do I need to do. What's the next thing
that I need to do? And I heard a voice say, oh, hey,
show must go on, and and that was my dad.
(02:53):
That was my own man who told me that, you know,
this idea about the show must go on. It just
reminded me of, you know, what my dad was and
what he represented to our business and to our wrestling business,
and something that you know, we're all very proud of
because many of us are in this wrestling business and
(03:13):
it is in your blood. Once it's in your blood,
it never goes away. The phrase of trailblazer is connected
to my dad's name, my dad, Rocky Johnson. Trailblazer never
been done. When you do things that have never been done,
but impactful things and things that actually moved the needle
(03:34):
an industry. And he did that and for my dad
when he broke into the business in the mid sixties
and throughout the late sixties and into the seventies in
the United States where racial tension and divide was very strong,
and in the sixties and the seventies, you have a
black man coming in, it's an all white audience.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
There is good luck, dude, wuldn't you say.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
In all these small little towns that eventually I would
go on to but at that time changed the audience
behavior and actually had them cheer for this black.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
Man, a man that had been a pop star all
over the United States for the past decade, introducing Rocky Johnson.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
Fish each other.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
Is he excited or is he?
Speaker 2 (04:22):
And not? When he was wrestling against other black men,
because he was usually the only black guy in the territory,
he was wrestling against other white wrestlers. And I thought
that was really unique, and I thought that was really powerful,
and I thought that it deserved to be said. And
that's what this man did. You know, we celebrated and
we gave honor to doctor Martin Luther King yesterday and
I woke up this morning and my heart, of course
(04:44):
it is heavy, but there was a lightness to it
that I thought, Wow, you know, it's very appropriate because
you know, my dad fought for racial equality at a
time where it was needed.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
We are the first black tat chapters of the world ever.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
Thought Doctor Martin Luther King would be very proud out
of my dad. When you think of my dad's name,
you think hard work, you think barrier breaking, you think
you know that being the hardest worker in the room,
always working out, taught me how to work out when
I was a very at very young age. Hard work, discipline,
those are things and tenets that that are synonymous with
(05:18):
my dad's name. What's amazing to me now after a
daylight today, after we come here and we give our
respects and our love, he's galvanized. He's responsible for galvanizing
families now and families coming together just a bit closer,
because you know, through processes like this and we all
go through this, we all go through this and we've
(05:39):
all lost loved ones. But guarantee, when we walk out
of these doors, we're going to hold each other a
bit tighter. We're going to have each other a bit harder.
We're going to kiss each other, we're going to say
I love you, and we're going to be a little
bit more present. And I think that's the beautiful irony
about my dad and all the things that his name
is synonymous with all over the years. Now, his name
(06:01):
is synonymous with the power of love and bringing people together.
It's very appropriate for the soul. Man. I wish your
soul at rest and at ease. There's no more pain,
no more regret. I'm sorry, Just give me a second.
(06:32):
Thank you for bearing my names. Give me a second.
I'm so happy he had friends a place like this
that he could come to and all of you who
have been in his life, and all of you have
said really wonderful things, all the messages that you sent me.
(06:52):
He would be very happy at this. It wouldn't make
his heart full. This isn't goodbye. This is just I'll
see it down the road. We'll see it down the road.
I thank you guys so much for your time. And
I love you all. I thank you, we love you all.
(07:14):
My family, thank you guys very much. And I'll see
it down the road. So many.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Father and son rocking the house here, Ladies and.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Gentlemen at Rostomanias.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
You carry the family name, you carry your grandfather's name,
you carry my name.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
And I said in that crowd, and I watch.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
You, and I was so proud.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
My dad was a hero to me. He was larger
than life, legendary matches I witnessed as a kid. He
was able to cross all lines and become one of
the most dynamic and formidable performers of his time. It
is my great honor to welcome, congratulate, and induct into
the two thousand and eight WWE Hall of Fame my
dad Johnson.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
I would also like to thank my beautiful daughter, Wanda
my son Curtis, and for Dwayne. For everything you'd done
for me. You made me proud by continue our family
resting legacy, by continuing our family rest And I know
in the beginning I resisted you from entering the business
(08:23):
because they knew it was extremely difficult, and I only
agreed to train you on one condition that I would
not go easy on you. And let me tell you
I didn't. I will tell you follow Selly. I will
(08:43):
tell you a story that's not on this script. He
got sassy with me one time. It's about a mile
and a half from home, and he wanted sympathy, and
it was pouring down rain and I said, if you
want sympathy, go home to your mother and get it.
He said, that's exactly where I'm going. He took his
bag and he left. But I will say this from
(09:06):
the bottom of my heart, and I love him very much.
He's my son and he always will be, and I'm
very proud of him. I would like to be remembered
for help him pay the road for other black athletes,
but I'd also like to remember paving the road for
(09:26):
all athletes, no matter race, color or cream. Thank you,
and may God bless each and every one of you.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Thank you, and a terrific job on the production, editing
and storytelling by our own Greg Hangler. And you were
listening to Dwayne the Rock Johnson eulogize his father, Rocky
Soulman Johnson. In the end, there you were listening to
Rocky Soulman Johnson himself the father and son affair. It's
(10:01):
not a dream, the Rock said, Dad's gone. I heard
a voice, though the show must go on. My dad
taught me that he fought for racial equality, breaking barriers,
hard work and discipline, always working out, always working hard.
That's what my dad taught me. His name is associated though,
(10:24):
in the end, with the power of love and bringing
people together. He would be very happy with this. It
would make his heart full. And he closed with those words,
I'll see you down the road, soul Man. Dwayne the
Rock Johnson gulogy to his father here on our American
(10:45):
Stories
And we continue with our American stories. A blood clot
was the cause of death for Rocky Soulman Johnson, the
WWE Professional Wrestling Hall of Famer and father of Hollywood
actor Dwayne the Rock Johnson. Johnson died at the Florida
home his son bought for him. He was seventy five.
(00:33):
Rocky began wrestling at the age of sixteen and retired
in nineteen ninety one, but he went on to train
his son to become a wrestler. Here's Dwayne the Rock
Johnson paying tribute to his.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Father and wish I had one more shot, you know,
just that you say goodbye, I say I love you,
say thank you, respect you. But you know, I have
a feeling he's watching, he's listening. I know my dad
will be saying, kay, fave the tears. You know, you
(01:13):
try and you think about, well, what am I gonna write?
And this is you know, you don't Yeah, you don't
know what to write for eulogy. It's your dad. You
don't expect it, as you guys know, you know, he
went very quick. I was on my way to work
the other day on January fifteenth, and I was just
pulling into work and we were shooting that day and
it was the very first day of production. And then
(01:34):
I get a call from my wife Lauren, who said,
you know, hey, I just spoke to Cora. It seems
like something's going on with your dad. And Lauren was
with our she was with our babies, she was with
(01:59):
my mom, and she said, you know, I really can't talk.
She goes, I think you should call Coor though, so
of course I called Kor Cora. You know, she broke
the news to me. And right when she broke the news,
I was literally just pulling it and I'm looking at
the whole crew, hundreds of guys and women milling around
and carrying equipment and waving at me in the truck
and waving back, and it all got really foggy, and
(02:22):
it seemed like it was just a big dream. And
you know how you have those moments you can try
and shake yourself out.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
Of it and you're like, no, it's not a dream.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
My dad's gone. And in that moment, I just thought, well,
what do I need to do. What's the next thing
that I need to do? And I heard a voice say, oh, hey,
show must go on, and and that was my dad.
(02:53):
That was my own man who told me that, you know,
this idea about the show must go on. It just
reminded me of, you know, what my dad was and
what he represented to our business and to our wrestling business,
and something that you know, we're all very proud of
because many of us are in this wrestling business and
(03:13):
it is in your blood. Once it's in your blood,
it never goes away. The phrase of trailblazer is connected
to my dad's name, my dad, Rocky Johnson. Trailblazer never
been done. When you do things that have never been done,
but impactful things and things that actually moved the needle
(03:34):
an industry. And he did that and for my dad
when he broke into the business in the mid sixties
and throughout the late sixties and into the seventies in
the United States where racial tension and divide was very strong,
and in the sixties and the seventies, you have a
black man coming in, it's an all white audience.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
There is good luck, dude, wuldn't you say.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
In all these small little towns that eventually I would
go on to but at that time changed the audience
behavior and actually had them cheer for this black.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
Man, a man that had been a pop star all
over the United States for the past decade, introducing Rocky Johnson.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
Fish each other.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
Is he excited or is he?
Speaker 2 (04:22):
And not? When he was wrestling against other black men,
because he was usually the only black guy in the territory,
he was wrestling against other white wrestlers. And I thought
that was really unique, and I thought that was really powerful,
and I thought that it deserved to be said. And
that's what this man did. You know, we celebrated and
we gave honor to doctor Martin Luther King yesterday and
I woke up this morning and my heart, of course
(04:44):
it is heavy, but there was a lightness to it
that I thought, Wow, you know, it's very appropriate because
you know, my dad fought for racial equality at a
time where it was needed.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
We are the first black tat chapters of the world ever.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
Thought Doctor Martin Luther King would be very proud out
of my dad. When you think of my dad's name,
you think hard work, you think barrier breaking, you think
you know that being the hardest worker in the room,
always working out, taught me how to work out when
I was a very at very young age. Hard work, discipline,
those are things and tenets that that are synonymous with
(05:18):
my dad's name. What's amazing to me now after a
daylight today, after we come here and we give our
respects and our love, he's galvanized. He's responsible for galvanizing
families now and families coming together just a bit closer,
because you know, through processes like this and we all
go through this, we all go through this and we've
(05:39):
all lost loved ones. But guarantee, when we walk out
of these doors, we're going to hold each other a
bit tighter. We're going to have each other a bit harder.
We're going to kiss each other, we're going to say
I love you, and we're going to be a little
bit more present. And I think that's the beautiful irony
about my dad and all the things that his name
is synonymous with all over the years. Now, his name
(06:01):
is synonymous with the power of love and bringing people together.
It's very appropriate for the soul. Man. I wish your
soul at rest and at ease. There's no more pain,
no more regret. I'm sorry, Just give me a second.
(06:32):
Thank you for bearing my names. Give me a second.
I'm so happy he had friends a place like this
that he could come to and all of you who
have been in his life, and all of you have
said really wonderful things, all the messages that you sent me.
(06:52):
He would be very happy at this. It wouldn't make
his heart full. This isn't goodbye. This is just I'll
see it down the road. We'll see it down the road.
I thank you guys so much for your time. And
I love you all. I thank you, we love you all.
(07:14):
My family, thank you guys very much. And I'll see
it down the road. So many.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Father and son rocking the house here, Ladies and.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Gentlemen at Rostomanias.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
You carry the family name, you carry your grandfather's name,
you carry my name.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
And I said in that crowd, and I watch.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
You, and I was so proud.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
My dad was a hero to me. He was larger
than life, legendary matches I witnessed as a kid. He
was able to cross all lines and become one of
the most dynamic and formidable performers of his time. It
is my great honor to welcome, congratulate, and induct into
the two thousand and eight WWE Hall of Fame my
dad Johnson.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
I would also like to thank my beautiful daughter, Wanda
my son Curtis, and for Dwayne. For everything you'd done
for me. You made me proud by continue our family
resting legacy, by continuing our family rest And I know
in the beginning I resisted you from entering the business
(08:23):
because they knew it was extremely difficult, and I only
agreed to train you on one condition that I would
not go easy on you. And let me tell you
I didn't. I will tell you follow Selly. I will
(08:43):
tell you a story that's not on this script. He
got sassy with me one time. It's about a mile
and a half from home, and he wanted sympathy, and
it was pouring down rain and I said, if you
want sympathy, go home to your mother and get it.
He said, that's exactly where I'm going. He took his
bag and he left. But I will say this from
(09:06):
the bottom of my heart, and I love him very much.
He's my son and he always will be, and I'm
very proud of him. I would like to be remembered
for help him pay the road for other black athletes,
but I'd also like to remember paving the road for
(09:26):
all athletes, no matter race, color or cream. Thank you,
and may God bless each and every one of you.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Thank you, and a terrific job on the production, editing
and storytelling by our own Greg Hangler. And you were
listening to Dwayne the Rock Johnson eulogize his father, Rocky
Soulman Johnson. In the end, there you were listening to
Rocky Soulman Johnson himself the father and son affair. It's
(10:01):
not a dream, the Rock said, Dad's gone. I heard
a voice, though the show must go on. My dad
taught me that he fought for racial equality, breaking barriers,
hard work and discipline, always working out, always working hard.
That's what my dad taught me. His name is associated though,
(10:24):
in the end, with the power of love and bringing
people together. He would be very happy with this. It
would make his heart full. And he closed with those words,
I'll see you down the road, soul Man. Dwayne the
Rock Johnson gulogy to his father here on our American
(10:45):
Stories
Host
Lee Habeeb
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