Free Hugs!

In the midst of so much turmoil going on in the world today, a young man has made a name for himself by making a stand in a unique manner. His name is Ken Nwadike who is an athlete specializing in long distance running events.  After the Boston Marathon attack in 2013, Ken set a goal to qualify for the 2014 race. Unfortunately he failed to qualify, so he decided to be an encouragement to other runners that year by offering free hugs during the race and filming it. This became known as the Free Hugs Project.

His videos of do this at various events across the country have gone viral and he’s become an internet sensation. I applaud this young man and hope that he continues to inspire others with such a simple and selfless act of love.

His project reminded me of a young lady that I met at the Orlando MegaCon Convention in 2010 who was doing the exact same thing. I never got her name but was so impressed with this adorable girl’s spirit and sweet demeanor.

It’s amazing how the most basic of actions and behaviors can make the most impact in people’s lives.

Adrian “Asia” Petty is an independent comic book publisher and director at Jericho Projects, Inc. Find out more about our books at http://www.jerichoprojects.com and like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/jerichoprojects