Share a Hug Day is celebrated every year in the United States on July 30. The idea behind it is to let the people close to you know that you love and appreciate them by hugging them. Hugs are especially beneficial for people that are feeling down, as being surrounded by the arms of another person and the warmth of their body, communicates a sense of empathy, security, and solidarity. Anytime is a great time to share a hug with someone willing to receive or give one.
The creator of Share a Hug Day was Mike Brundritt. He used to be married to a woman he had been in a relationship with for 19 years, and they had two sons. On the afternoon of July 30, 2017, they were returning home from a camping trip. A transport truck hit them from behind while they were traveling. Brundritt and his youngest son survived the tragedy, but his wife and oldest son died instantly.
Since then, Brundritt and his son have had mental issues, and he is still recovering from back injuries. One year later, a few days before the first anniversary of the accident, he started thinking about ways to honor and remember his wife and son. He remembered how often he and his family would share hugs, as a greeting, as a goodbye, or just to show their love. He also remembered the many hugs shared with his friends after the accident. Thus, he decided to start a hug day to honor their lives.
On July 30, 2018, he wrote a post on his Facebook profile:
“We have days of the year designated for different things: National
Coffee Day, National Ice Cream Day, etc. I would like your help in
starting National Share a Hug Day. July 30th is the anniversary of the
loss of my son and wife and I want to try to honor the love that we
shared by starting something special. I am not sure how to get this
going, but for now, I think word of mouth will work. Please go and hug
someone today to help get this movement started.”
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