FRANKLIN, Tenn. (WTVF) — At Franklin Pride, one of the most sought-after things all day was a hug.
Volunteers with Free Mom Hugs spent the event wrapping strangers in their arms, one after another. Some hugs were quick. Some were emotional.
Mary Walton is one of those volunteers.
"Sharing love, sharing joy, especially when, you know, we all need our moms," said Walton.
Walton said the work is about showing up for people.
"And so we try and stand in place for those moms that can't or won't, or maybe are gone now, because everybody needs those hugs," said Walton.
For many at the event, that sense of connection is exactly why they keep coming back.
"I mean, I think we're all living in a place where our guard is up and we're so hesitant to be open and vulnerable with each other. And a hug is a silent means of just showing somebody that connection and physically enforcing that connection and support that you have," said Walton.
On a day filled with music, rainbow wings, and expression, the message was best delivered without words at all.
Have you ever received — or given — a hug that changed your day? Free Mom Hugs volunteers are out in the community making those moments happen. Watch the full story above, and if their work resonates with you or you know of a similar story of community connection in Middle Tennessee, we want to hear from you. Reach out to reporter Kim Rafferty at kim.rafferty@NewsChannel5.com.
In this article, we used artificial intelligence to help us convert a video news report originally written by Kim Rafferty. When using this tool, both Kim and the NewsChannel 5 editorial team verified all the facts in the article to make sure it is fair and accurate before we published it. We care about your trust in us and where you get your news, and using this tool allows us to convert our news coverage into different formats so we can quickly reach you where you like to consume information. It also lets our journalists spend more time looking into your story ideas, listening to you and digging into the stories that matter.
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