David Hogg, a student at Stoneman High School in Parkland, Florida, came under a great deal of scrutiny after he criticized President Donald Trump and defended the FBI. But it was later revealed that his father, Kevin Hogg, is a retired FBI agent. David and and his dad Kevin are very close. In fact, David admires his father greatly and has said that he considers his dad’s example one of the reasons that he was able to overcome adversity in his own life and become the man he is today. (You can watch them speaking in the video above, starting at 4:08.) Here’s what you need to know about Kevin Hogg, David Hogg’s dad.
1. Kevin Hogg Retired from the FBI in 2014 and Moved His Family to Florida
FacebookDavid Hogg, his father, and his family.
Before joining the FBI, Kevin Hogg, 51, was a Navy pilot and an elementary school teacher, he told CNN in the video at the top of the page. He explained that he was dumbfounded that anyone would think he was somehow using his son to trick the country. “My career has been perfect,” he said, adding that he was still proud of his work with the FBI. There were unfounded rumors this week that Kevin worked for Cubic Simulation Systems, but there doesn’t appear to be any evidence to back those rumors up. A Kevin Hogg does work for the company in Orlando, but that Kevin’s LinkedIn says he has worked there for 11 years and does not mention any prior military experience. David’s father, meanwhile, has only been retired from the FBI since 2014.
David told The Daily Beast that his dad worked long hours while he was with the FBI, often leaving at 6 a.m. and not getting home until midnight. Sometimes as soon as he got home, he had to immediately leave for an emergency. That was when David learned to admire his dad and other FBI agents, which was reflected in his recent interviews.
David said in an interview with CNN that his dad walks the dog every day. “Half the time I come home and he’s fallen asleep and he’s snuggling with my dog, watching Netflix,” David said. Kevin, who was sitting next to David during the interview, chuckled at that visual image.
Kevin Hogg, a Republican, retired from the FBI because he was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s disease, his wife Rebecca Boldrick told The Washington Post. The family didn’t reveal this before because Kevin felt embarrassed by his diagnosis, she said.
2. FBI Agents Used to Give Kevin Stuffed Animals To Give To Refugees
The Daily Beast reported that Kevin Hogg was assigned to the Los Angeles International Airport before he retired in 2014. Every time an FBI agent’s child outgrew a stuffed animal, they passed the animal on to Kevin. It seems like a strange thing to do until you hear why. Kevin was known for wanting to give stuffed animals to refugee children who were just arriving in America. He often saw refugees arriving with nothing but the clothes on their back, and he wanted them to feel a little big of comfort. “He got a lot of stuffed animals, but he used them all,” David said.
Prior to this, Kevin Hogg never was really in the news, except for an incident involving a stowaway at LAX in 2011. A Nigerian man, Olajide Oluwaseun Noibi, was arrested on stowaway charges after he was found with an expired boarding pass that belonged to someone else. Hogg wrote the affidavit about the case and said the FBI was investigating how Noibi got past security. He used a ticket under someone else’s name to board a Virgin American flight from New York to LAX. An airport police dispatcher and the plane’s captain tipped off the FBI. Noibi was later detained when he tried to board a Delta flight at LAX to Atlanta.
3. David’s Mom, Rebecca Boldrick, Said Her Daughter’s Phone Died After She Texted Her About the Shooting, Leaving Rebecca Very Worried
In the video above, David’s mom — Rebecca Boldrick — appears on an ABC News interview with her children David and Lauren Hogg. She talks about the harrowing shooting and how she and Kevin got a text from Lauren that just read: “CODE RED. At school. I love you too.” She didn’t hear from Lauren again after that because her phone had died. “You never think it will happen to you,” she said. She later shared that she and Kevin had taught David and Lauren to always consider where they will run if something happens, even if they’re at the mall.
Rebecca has been outspoken online ever since President Donald Trump won the election. About a year ago on Facebook she wrote: “I can’t be silent any more. I tried to be respectful during the elections. I can’t sit by and do nothing with what is going on currently in the USA. It’s horrifying. If you like what Trump is currently doing please unfriendly or block me because you won’t like what I am going to begin posting.”
She later said that she was creating a private group to share her thoughts. She appeared very passionate about her beliefs and about wanting to protect her family and children. Boldrick teaches in the Broward County School system, ABC reported, so the shooting affects her on many levels.
4. When David Called His Dad During the Shooting, His Dad Said: ‘I’m on My Way’
YouTubeDavid Hogg on his YouTube account.
David had dyslexia and ADHD growing up, the Daily Beast reported, and he learned the perseverance to deal with it from watching his dad’s example. But both father and son appear to have great admiration for each other, and only the kindest words. Kevin recalled in a CNN interview how his son always seemed to succeed at everything. “He’s been very successful with anything he’s chosen to do,” Kevin said. “He’s very driven. He’s much more well-spoken than I am.”
David and Kevin are so close that David called his dad during the shooting. “I love you,” he told Kevin. “I’m on my way,” Kevin promised his son. As a former FBI agent, he likely wanted to get to that school as quickly as humanly possible.
5. David Said He Was Calm in Interviews Because of His Dad’s Example
David and Kevin have always been close. David once wrote on Reddit: “My dad has been saving since before I was born. I love my parents so much and am blessed to have their financial support. The reason they have saved so much for my college is because both were kicked out of there house at 18 basically and had to pay their way through college…”
David told the Daily Beast that he admired his dad because Kevin’s not judgmental, but tries to see everyone’s side in a situation. “He’s just a nice guy,” David said. He noted that his calm composure during interviews was partially because of his Dad’s example of a calm demeanor and seeing both sides of an issue.
Read more about David and the conspiracy circulating the Internet in Heavy’s story below.
