Share a Hug Day
Give a big hug to the people in your life you care about, and don’t be afraid to ask others for a hug if you feel like you need one yourself.
Leverage an emotional, grief-to-purpose narrative to drive awareness around mental health, community connection, and compassionate brand positioning during July.
- Share your hug story: How a simple embrace changed your day or someone else's life
- Mental health moment: Hugs reduce stress and build belonging—celebrate human connection with your community
- From tragedy to tradition: Spotlight Mike Brundritt's journey and invite followers to normalize physical affection and vulnerability
- Workplace wellness tie-in: Encourage teams to recognize the power of genuine human connection beyond the screen
Share a Hug Day was born out of tragedy one night when Mike Brundritt lost his wife and son in a terrible auto accident. With a dedication to turning anything negative into a positive Brundritt decided to share one of his families most important traditions with the world, that of giving and receiving hugs frequently and with abandon. He knew from personal experience just how life-changing a hug could be, and how a simple show of compassion like that in a hug can be exactly what someone needs in their life.
I am Mike Brundritt, I once lived a wonderful life. I was married to the woman of my dreams with plans to be married forever, and had spent 19yrs together. We both had successful jobs, were positive members of the community, and our church. We were raising two great sons; our oldest son was involved with every sport he could play, while our youngest enjoyed video games. As a family, friends and other family members have always surrounded us and have been a part of our lives. I would have said I was pretty fortunate.
On the afternoon of July 30, 2017, everything changed, we were returning home from a family vacation, camping. During our drive we were involved in a motor vehicle collision in which we were hit from behind by a transport truck. This collision, in the blink of an eye changed my whole world. My wife and oldest son passed away immediately. My youngest son and I both survived the accident but we both have mental issues since, and I am also recovering from back injuries. It has been a long road to make a recovery, and it still is.
Fast forward to the first anniversary of the accident. A few days before the anniversary I was thinking of ways that I could honour and remember my wife and son. I was remembering how much of a loving family we were, always sharing hugs, both as a greeting, or a goodbye. It was also a way to say I love you. A hug was also shared between many friends after the accident. A hug is a special connection between people that lets each other know they are cared about. The idea came to me that I could start a hug day to honour the lives of my family.
I woke up on July 30, 2018 with the idea that I wanted to start a special day, the problem was that I did not know how to start it. I started with a post on my facebook profile, and it was shared with friends. Friends and family then shared my message further, and the message magically took off. Within days it was shared across Canada, to various parts of the United States, to England, Lebanon, and Australia. I was contacted by the local news and my message was spread even more. I was amazed how fast and far my message has travelled.
Hugs have been shown to do incredible things for the human body, including releasing endorphins and easing stress and emotional distress. People who hug more frequently have been shown to have higher levels of compassion and to cope better with situations that may be incredibly stressful for someone else. Hugs have been shown to elevate moods, ease pain, and otherwise be hugely beneficial for everyone involved.