3,162 Hugs & Counting: The Man Who Has Made Hugging For Charity His Life’s Mission

This is a story that’s guaranteed to bring a smile to your face and warm up your heart on this dreary Thursday evening. A man from Southern California has attempted to break a Guinness World Record by giving hugs to anyone who would take one.

The Huffington Post reports that David Parsons was inspired to try and break the world record for the most hugs given in one day after his friend, Sharon Perkins, died of cancer. David undertook the challenge in an attempt to raise money for Grants Wishes, a non-profit organisation that helps children who are currently battling cancer.

At the end of the day, David had given a whopping 3,162 hugs. Despite the fact that this was short of his original 10,000 hug goal, he is still viewing it as a success.

“My number one goal was always just to raise funds awareness for Grants Wishes,” said David, who raised $2,062 in total.

“There was a point at which I was hugging people and realized that I had 3,162 opportunities to take that one hug that I didn’t realise would be my last with Sharon and to give that love that she gave me,” he added.

David at his most recent attempt to break the world record

The current world record for the most hugs in 24 hours stands at 8,709 and while David didn’t break it this time, he has been inspired to try again.

“There’s so much power in a hug. It requires trust, a sense of vulnerability. You look someone right in the eyes before you give a hug. You realise you could be physically and emotionally sharing that person’s burden,” said David.

“We always talk about changing the world. But even by doing simple things you can make a difference,” he added.

We don’t know about you, but here at Her.ie towers we’re all massive fans of the humble hug. If it’s been a while since you’ve gotten your cuddle on, we highly recommend grabbing your bestie, your boyfriend or your pet dog and having a good squeeze. You’ll feel better immediately, promise!