A Fellow Hugger Shares "Free Hugs" Experience

The experience and photos below were shared by Angel, a friend of Hugs Heal. The words in Purple are hers, the words in Black are mine.

"Our first Free Hugs that we participated in we did on 7-7-07. It was significant as people from all over the world were doing it at the same time with the same purpose. Peace, Love & Happiness. We were surrounded by Angels that day and we could all feel them. We got quite the surprise when we got our group pictures - one of the Angel's decided to join in them. In both group pictures if you look at the purple hue you will see its face. First one is looking straight at the camera, the second one its turned facing us. What difference does giving a hug make? Well if we have gotten the attention of Angels then I would say it means a lot!! Love & Hugs, Angel"

While I try to keep Hugs Heal non-religious to make sure everyone of every religion feel welcome, I felt that this experience was too cool not to share. What do you guys think? Can you see the angels' face in the purple hue?

A Hug That Touched the Soul

"When my mother died at home from terminal cancer, all the people started coming in to pay their respects, plenty of hugging, but the only one that I felt down to my soul was the one from my favorite uncle, he got out of his car, didn't say a word, just opened his arms, and I fell into them sobbing, he never said anything, he knew how close I was to my mom, he just held me as hard as he could, and let me cry. Made me feel better and safe."

Shared by Akiko

A Hug That Saved a Life

A huge thank-you hug to MaryLee of San Jose, California for sharing this amazing experience.

This is a time I found out for real a hug can make all the difference! It was many years ago, over 22 about, my family worked in the restaurant business and I became a bartender. I thought to make drinks for clients, but I was always giving them rides home or giving them some inspirational message, like typing up the poem Footprints for them. People who spend a lot time in bars are really very sad.

I was working nights, 6pm- 2am, and one night a man came in and he was very quiet. I tried to chat with him but he said little. I was taught to get customers to meet new people, but he was having none of that. I asked him his name, he said, "It doesn’t matter." The beer he was drinking was 80 cents, he was getting 2 dimes back each time. I could see he was making something with his dimes.

Well, as the night came to a close I went around the other side of the bar to clean up the tables and get ready to close. I put the ashtrays on the bar next to him; he stood to leave and feeling his heavy heart I said, "May I give you a hug?", and said, "This shall pass. Give it a few days." He left and when I went back to the bar to clean his spot I saw that he had made a question mark with his dimes. The week-end passed and I went back to work. Monday night when I went out to the car to go home there was a white rose on my car. I asked everyone and no one knew a thing. This happened for 4 nights in a row then on Friday that man I hugged came in the door with a white rose at closing time. I said, "It was you!"

He told me that night he was going to kill himself and because I tried so hard to talk to him and then asked to hug him and said this will pass in a few days, it reminded him of the bible verse he knew from his childhood. But he said it was the hug, someone caring about him and hugging him that made him change his mind. We cried together. I never saw him again, but from time to time I got a white rose and I send a little prayer to him still after all these years.

A Hug From a Lion Is The Most Sincere She's Ever Recieved

Don't be afraid to watch this video- the lion is definitely not going to attack. The woman in this video receives an affection embrace from the Jupiter the lion. An hugs that she states is the most sincere she's every received.

The Best Moments - A Mother's Happiness

"After my son learned to walk rather well (around 10 mos. old), I used to walk with him, but I'd be on my knees so that he felt more secure. One day we were walking together in the house and I remember him coming up to me and throwing his arms around my neck and telling me "Love You!" I hugged his little body back and felt sooo happy to be a mommy. The love, reassurance, innocence, and bondmanship of that hug are so vivid to me today. Now when we hug...he always hugs my neck!"

Shared by Marie of Coleman, TX

A Long-Distance Hug Made Closer

This is a photo of my husband, Mickey, and me (Lisanne) this holiday season.

We live over 400 hundred miles apart due to the fact that both of our mothers are ill and I have a brother suffering from cancer that I'm caring for... Thus we do NOT get to see each other often.

Our shared hugs do indeed help to heal my heart, my soul, and my mind.

Shared by Lisanne of South Carolina

9-Year-Old Katelyn Sassin - Kicking Cancer to the Curb

I was recently contacted by a woman named Marie Sassin, who is the mother of a very strong young lady named Katelyn. Katelyn is 9 years old and is currently battling Leukemia. Marie asked me if I could donate any Hugs Heal merchandise to Katelyn's American Cancer Society Relay For Life Team, and I offered to design some Hugs Heal pins for her team and send them to her. I wish I could afford to do more, and I'm hoping that you, my readers, will be able to.

This is what Marie Sassin has to say about her daughter.

"Katelyn Sassin is a caring, sweet loving little girl, she is the best big sister to her little brother and little sister and a good friend and companion to her older sister. Almost a year ago Katelyn was experiencing some pain in her ankles, her daddy and I thought it was from running in gym class. Then the pain starting coming more frequently and with much more severity, moving from her ankles to her knees and elbows. Sometimes our Katie-bug would cry so much and be in so much pain she could not sleep. I would have to help her get dressed and help her to the bathroom. We have been from one doctor to the next (and many ER visits) with no answers. They would tell us it was pulled muscles, or tendons and even once we heard she was making a big deal out of nothing and it was all in her head.
A new pediatrician came along; a caring one who took time to listen and care, took the time to get to the bottom of things. Some blood tests had shown she was anemic, she was hardly eating anything by then and only weighed 60 pounds. Her new pediatrician as well as her daddy and I thought she had some sort or rheumatic disease.

We were then referred to Children's Hospital of Birmingham two hours away. Before you can see a Rheumatic Doctor they like for you to have a bone marrow test because some of the medicines for rheumatic diseases can alter marrow, and if you did have cancer it would not show on a biopsy, so it was by chance that day, September 11th 2008 they ordered a bone marrow aspiration done.

We were told Katelyn has biphenotypic leukemia, which means she has both AML and ALL cell markers, but since the ALL presented the most they will treat her as ALL.

In October Katelyn moved from standard risk cancer patient to standard high risk which means her chemotherapy is more intense and will last longer. She is very very sick and throws up on a daily basis, the medicines have given her ulcers in her mouth and she is very tired.

Over the past five months Katelyn has received nine spinal taps, five bone marrow biopsies, three blood transfusions, a platelet transfusion, one surgery, she has been hospitalized for two weeks with an infection and stopped eating, and she had to be fed through a TPN line. She can not go to school because she may catch an infection so she is homebound taught, but all in all she is a fighter, she will not complain and has kept a sense of humor.

We have good news from her last biopsy that she has remission marrow, the hard chemotherapy will last six more months and then she moves into the final phase which will last one and a half years to make sure the cancer does not come back."

Katelyn Sassin is clearly a brave little warrior, and I really wish I could meet her in person. I'll be keeping her in my thoughts while she and her family are going through all of these difficulties, and when she has beaten this sickness, I know they'll all be stronger for it.

Team Katelyn will be participating in the May 15-16 2009 Relay For Life at the North Alabama State Fairgrounds. Don't forget to visit Katelyn's American Society Relay For Life Team Page and help her team reach their goal by making a donation. Let's hear it for Healthy Living!

A "Hugging Epidemic"

A friend of Hugs Heal wanted to share this wonderful article about a group of students who were inspired by the person who is probably one of the most famous huggers in the world; Juan Mann. Please take a moment to read the article. Maybe you'll be inspired too!

Hugging Epidemic hits UBC

A Touching Christmas Message

I recently recieved a message from one of my Myspace friends that touched me deeply and renewed my faith that Hugs Heal really is making a difference; far more of a difference than I could have ever expected or hoped for. Now I'd like to share this message with you.

"Just last night I was feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders. With Christmas approaching and my not being able to provide my children; I am raising my 3 grandchildren and 1 great nephew; with the things they deserve I was feeling pretty alone. I cried myself to sleep last night and prayed for God to just send me a friend and I woke up this morning to receive a friend request from Hugs Heal and it brought tears to my eyes again, only for a much different reason. I just had to say thank you for what you do and today will be a much better day for me because of you." - Mimi

A Hug for a Brave Soldier

"This is Donna and Kevin. He is a soldier in the Army and currently overseas. This is one of the last hugs I received from him. He is greatly missed. He will be home soon. This and other hugs are not like any other. These are the intense 'please don't go, but beacuse you have to I will hug you tight so you dont forget what it feels like in my arms' hugs' "

- Shared by Donna

Hugs Heal Story 4 - submitted by a friend of Hugs Heal

I currently have a soldier in Iraq, not too long ago I was crying alot. My brother and I stood in the living realizing we needed eachother. We hugged for a very long time. So long my neck hurt. That hug was needed. I hadn't cried in I dont know how long. It made me realize it's ok to break down, to lose control for that moment and there is always someone right there to hold you when you need them. This hug has helped me through the last three days. I am stronger because my brother and I fell apart together.

-Shared by Donna from Florida

Hugs Heal Story 3 - submitted by a friend of Hugs Heal

On August 10, 2006 I had a heart attack. My husband took me to the ER and while they were running all their tests and stabilizing me, he was by my side. Two hours later, they put me in a room to wait for a heart cath operation to see where the blockage was. All of this was happening on the day before our anniversary.

The hospital did not have the staff to do the surgery the next morning, so my husband and I spent our anniversary in my hospital room. I don't remember much because I was on pain medication and all kinds of IV drips. All I know is that every time I opened my eyes, he was there.

The next day was Saturday and during the night one of my IV's had come out. As soon as I got up out of bed, it was evident which one. I was having another heart attack. I was moved to CCU where visitation was limited, so I was alone most of the time. On Monday, after one surgery to find the blockage and another to install four stents, I was moved back to ICU. Spending the whole week in solitude and pain does a lot to the mental psyche and I was getting depressed, even in my fog of morphine.

By Friday, I was able to go to a regular room and was released later that day. But that wasn't the best thing for me.The best thing that happened, the thing that gave me the warmest and most secure feeling, was the first embrace from my husband. It was filled with love, companionship, caring, and happiness. And it made my world right again.

- Linda from Arlington, Texas

The Best, Worst, Most Important Moments

Have you ever noticed that most of best, worst, most important moments of your life include a hug?

I was 17 years old and the date was March 31, 2005; the day my dad died suddenly of a heart attack. An odd start to a "best hug" story, huh?

There are a lot of things about that day that I don't remember. But I do remember the moment when I finally broke down, the initial shock suddenly wore off and I started to cry, wail, and ultimately collaspe on my living room floor. And I remember my best friend, Sarah, hugging me. She threw her arms around me and when my knees hit the floor, she went down with me. She never let go.

It was certainly not a happy moment; in fact, it was the saddest moment of my life, but it was and still is the best, most important hug I can ever remember recieving.

Tell me about your best, most important hug memory.

A Quote from a Friend of Hugs Heal

"I think everybody needs a hug in life. I know the feeling that I feel when I hug my grand-kids is so great that I dont ever want to let them go."

-Pat from Florida

"The Rescuing Hug"

To read the full article please press the following link.

http://www.52best.com/hug.asp

Cyndy and Mitzi

Here is a letter and some photos I recieved from a woman named Cyndy, who loved her dog so very much.

Hi Gini,
I am one of your myspace friends. I am sending you 2 pics of myself and my Mitzi. Mitzi crossed over to the Rainbow Bridge on Sept 5 2007. She was 16 years old, the love of my life and my best friend. I am so blessed to have had her as part of my life. Together the two of us traveled all 48 states, Mexico and Canada. I drove a truck at the time. The pics I am sending are of our last hugs to each other.
Bless you for starting such a wonderful page.
Many Hugs,
Cyndy

Hugs Heal Story 2 - submitted by a friend of Hugs Heal

My fiancee and I have been having some really hard times with money lately. He is the more laid back person and I am the pessimistic one and I always think we are going to loose everything. Within the last week our situation has started to get worse. When I sit down and stare at our check book it upsets me. I try to find ways to calm down but I cant, I yell at my kids (I know how bad huh?) and cry. When I get like that my daughter who is 3 will come up and hug me and grab my face and tell me its ok....I feel so much better after that, it is like that hug from my baby girl makes the world so much better, and nothing else matters but having her in my arms... I love her so much! Hugs are great. I love hugs!

-Mandy from New York

Cancer Survivor Sylvia and Singer Jimmy Barnes

This is a photo submitted by a wonderful woman named Sylvia of her and her idol, Scottish/Australian Singer Jimmy Barnes. At the time she was living with cancer and he was about to go through open heart surgery.

Great news: She is now a cancer survivior and he came through as well!

Go Sylvia and Jimmy and Congratulations! Hugs Heal!

And here is a photo after these inspiring survivors made it through!

Hugs Heal Story 1- Shared by a friend of Hugs Heal

I recently found out that some women I work with were spreading rumors around that I was not a very nice person. This hurt me more than anyone can imagine. I felt alone, isolated and felt unloved and that no one needed me. I felt that I had made no difference in anyones life and that no one really cared if I lived or died. I was walking to get something to eat and ran into a cleaning lady that worked in the building. Sometimes, sadly enough, people ignored her because she is a cleaning lady. She and I got along great!! I always spoke and smiled at her and we liked each other a lot. Anyway, when I ran into her, she ran up to me and gave me a great big hug and told me that only 2 people in the whole building ever spoke to her and that I was one of them. She had tears in her eyes. That hug lifted so much weight off of my shoulders and gave me a new spark of energy. Also, it let me know that I DO make a difference, I just don't always see the difference I make. Little things can make a big difference in other peoples lives...so we should always treat everyone with the respect that all human beings deserve.

-Shared by Melanie