Dwayne Johnson reflects on heartbreaking regret on his father Rocky's five-year death anniversary

BEVERLY PARK, LOS ANGELES: Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson took to social media the night of January 15 to express deep regret over his unresolved conflict with his father, Rocky 'Soulman' Johnson, on his fifth death anniversary.

The 52-year-old actor and former wrestler opened up in an emotional five-minute video, urging his 552 million followers to cherish and reconcile with their loved ones while they still can.

Dwayne opens up about painful regret over last fight with his father

The pain of their last interaction — a "massive fight" on Christmas Eve 2019 — still weighs heavy on Dwayne’s heart.

In light of that thought, he wrote in his post, "5 years ago today, January 15th 2020, I lost my dad."

"We got into a huge fight during Christmas, so we weren’t speaking at the time of his sudden passing. Wish I reconciled but it was too late. What I’d give to have just 5 more minutes, to hug him hard, kiss his cheek and say 'I love you and we’re good,'" he shared.

His post continued, "I know a lot of my guys out there have complicated relationships with your dads - just like I did - and maybe you aren’t communicating because of unresolved stuff."

"Whatever the issue, I strongly recommend you reconcile it and make it whole. You don’t want to live the alternative where it’s too late, and you wake up one morning and realize you have to write your dad’s eulogy. I don’t want that for you, so go take care of that relationship while you still have your dad around. Give him a call, start with that."

"Thanks for the lessons, Soulman and as you always said, the show must go on 🕊️ See you down the road," his post concluded. 

Dwayne Johnson reflects on father’s death, urges others to mend relationships

Just weeks after their falling out, Rocky Johnson, a trailblazer in professional wrestling, died in January 2020 at the age of 75.

The cause was a pulmonary embolism caused by deep vein thrombosis, a devastating moment that hit Dwayne while he was preparing to shoot 'Red Notice' for Netflix.

Six days later, Dwayne stood at a podium, delivering his father's eulogy - a painful but reflective moment.

Now, on the anniversary of his father’s death, the 'Moana 2' star emphasized the importance of making amends: "If you've got your old man around, get uncomfortable, and pull him aside and say, 'Let's do our best to kind of squash this.' In the effort of trying, you should reach a new place of love."

Dwayne opened up about the layered relationship he shared with his father, acknowledging both the love and the hardships.

"You start to realize, man, my dad loved me—a limited love with a limited capacity that he could love," he admitted. "But even with that limited capacity, he loved me with all he had. I didn't realize that until much later in life. And once he was gone, I really realized that."

While he refrained from delving into specifics about their final argument, Dwayne hinted at Rocky’s tumultuous past, including legal troubles and allegations of misconduct.

Dwayne Johnson's father taught him 'hard work and discipline'

Despite these challenges, Dwayne credited his father with instilling in him two core values: hard work and discipline.

"He taught me hard work and he taught me discipline - those two things, I realize, holy s**t, those two anchors in my life have taken me so far."

Rocky Johnson left an indelible mark on professional wrestling. Known for his charisma and skill, he became one half of the first Black tag team champions in WWE history alongside Tony Atlas in 1983.

His influence on Dwayne’s career was profound, from his early wrestling days to the WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 2008, where Dwayne proudly introduced his father.

Rocky’s famous quip, "I taught Dwayne everything he knows, but I didn't teach him everything I know," is a testament to their dynamic - both a source of humor and reflection for Dwayne today.

Rocky Johnson's death anniversary makes Dwayne reflects on his fatherhood 

As Dwayne continues to honor his father’s legacy, he is also focused on his own journey as a father.

The proud girl dad shares three daughters — Simone, 23, Jasmine, 9, and Tiana, 6 — with his ex-wife Dany Garcia and current wife Lauren Hashian.

His reflection on his father’s love fuels his parenting approach, ensuring he provides the unconditional support and care he learned to appreciate later in life.

"Some of the other s***, that's the stuff I don't want to do, and I learned the hard way," he admitted. "But I thank him for those lessons too. Soulman, happy anniversary! I know you're up there, and thank you for the lessons."

After 'Red One', Dwayne is channeling his energy into creative projects, including his portrayal of MMA legend Mark Kerr in Benny Safdie's upcoming A24 biopic 'The Smashing Machine.'

The film, set to release later this year, delves into the highs and lows of Kerr’s career, including his struggles with addiction - a story of resilience that resonates deeply with Dwayne’s own life lessons.

Through his reflections, Dwayne Johnson reminds us all of the fragility of life and the importance of forgiveness.

His message is a poignant call to action: "Don’t wait. Make the effort now—because when they’re gone, all that other stuff doesn’t matter."