Every day that Dwayne Johnson wakes up, he is a superstar. Typically, we hear about his latest projects, business ventures and workouts on his social media, which proves just how hard he works. However, in a recent Instagram post, he got a bit more sentimental as he took time to wish his deceased father a happy ‘heavenly birthday,’ and the raw emotion he shared touched the hearts of countless fans around the world.
Rocky Johnson was a wrestling legend who blazed the trail for generations of athletes and helped solidify the popularity of WWE events. He was also Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s dad. Since Rocky’s death in 2020, the actor and wrestler has talked about how complicated and meaningful their relationship was, and he's shared how his father’s death impacted his perception of his own legacy. On August 24, his dad's birthday, Dwayne Johnson reflected on how much he still misses his father, even years later. He wrote in a new Instagram post:
Rough day yesterday, but forced me to search for those silver lining blessings - that you realize, if look hard enough, those silver linings are usually right there in front of you on the hardest of days. That was always my dad’s way. Days are tough, life is hard. Get used to it.
The Instagram post included footage from Rocky Johnson’s February 2020 memorial service, including Dwayne Johnson’s heartfelt eulogy. In the clip, Johnson stood in front of friends and family and got real about the range of emotions he felt at the time:
Man, I wish I had… wish I had one more shot. Wish I had one more shot, you know, just to say goodbye, say I love you, say thank you, say I respect you. But you know, I have a feeling he’s watching, he’s listening.
With that image in mind, Johnson became emotional several times throughout his eulogy. This included when he shared how surreal it was to learn about his father’s passing via a phone call from his wife and stepmother as he was heading into the first day of production on Red Notice:
You know how you have those moments where you try to shake yourself out of it and you’re like, ‘No, it’s not a dream. My dad’s gone.’
Dwayne Johnson said that as he tried to figure out what to do next, he heard his father’s voice in his head telling him “The show must go on,” a sentiment that Johnson feels represents exactly what and who his father was. His eulogy ended with a reflection on how much it would have meant to his father to see the people gathered together to honor his memory, as well as a last message to the man who meant so much to him:
This isn’t goodbye, this is just ‘I’ll see you down the road.’ We’ll see you down the road.
At more than 10 minutes in length, the video serves as a poignant memorial to Rocky Johnson that illustrates exactly how much he meant to his loved ones, and it's well worth the watch – check it out below:
The Rock's decision to take time out to honor his father’s birthday, even three years after his passing, will likely resonate deeply with anyone who has loved and lost one of their parents.
His willingness to be vulnerable and share his ongoing grief is also a testament to why he remains one of the most beloved celebrities in the world. It’s not just his talent as an entertainer and his tireless drive to release new movies and Hollywood projects, but also his ability to show his humanity that keeps fans coming back for more. Surely, Rocky Johnson would be proud to see how his son is keeping his memory alive and carrying on his legacy today.
