Dwayne John’s Dad, Rocky Johnson, Passes Away

By Pacey on January 15, 2020

(Photo by Bobby Bank/WireImage)

Wow, such a sad day for wrestling fans. If you watched any kind of professional wrestling back in the 70s and 80s, you probably knew who Dwayne Johnson’s dad was.

He was known as Rocky ‘Soulman’ Johnson, and got started in the National Wrestling Alliance in the 1960s, but got widespread famous when he joined what was then called the WWF (now WWE) in the 80s. He and Tony Atlas became the league’s first African-American tag team champions as The Soul Patrol.

This comes on the heels of Dwayne Johnson gifting his father a brand new car and a house for Christmas, noting that his father has had a tough life. Rocky was living in Tampa Bay at the time of his death. So far there is no word of the cause of death.

 

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Bought my dad a Christmas gift and surprised him. He’s had a hard life. This one felt good. My dad, Rocky Johnson is a minimalist. Always has been. Never asks me for much and over the years his needs are always the barest. Crazy story, my dad’s dad died when he was 13yrs old. That Christmas, my dad’s mom had her new boyfriend over for Christmas dinner. Her boyfriend got drunk and pissed on the turkey. My dad went outside, got a shovel, drew a line in the snow and said if you cross that line I’ll kill you. The drunk crossed it and my dad laid him out cold as a block of ice. Cops were called. They told my dad’s mom that when her boyfriend regains consciousness, he’s gonna kill your son so one of them has got to go. In front of the entire family, my dad’s mom looked at him and said get out. He was 13yrs old and now homeless. That f*cked up true story happened in Amherst, Nova Scotia, Canada in 1954. He needed the bare minimum then, just like does now. Over the years, I’ve moved him into a big home, got him trucks to drive – which he’ll literally drive into the ground until I get him something else. Hell, I’ll get him anything he wants, but the SOB just won’t ask;). Every Christmas, I always think about that story and my dad having every odd stacked against him at 13, but he fought thru it and still made something of himself. Makes me appreciate his struggle and hard work. Also, makes me appreciate the fun times he would beat my ass in the gym so bad when I was 13 and say “If you’re gonna throw up, go outside.. and if you’re gonna cry, then go home to your mother”. I hated it then, but I embrace it now. Made a man outta me. Without pissing on my turkey. 😂👍🏾. Just a small way of saying thank you dad and Merry Christmas! #DwantaClaus🎅🏾

A post shared by therock (@therock) on Dec 30, 2016 at 10:15am PST