It was then that Cuddles the Huggy Bear, the Ambassador of Hugs, walked into Johanssen's hospital room. Cuddles is actually Lindberg outfitted in a fuzzy brown bear suit. Usually dressed as Cuddles, Lindberg, either alone or leading a handful of hug volunteers, visits a dozen or so senior facilities in the Los Angeles area for one-day hug fests. In a crowded room of seniors, Cuddles can move at speeds of up to 100 hugs per hour. The reaction to Cuddles and the hug volunteers is almost always positive.
Most seniors love the attention and the personal warmth created by an embrace.
Lindberg can recite story after story of an apparently crusty senior who cracks when confronted by Cuddles. One woman, surrounded by friends, recently made fun of Cuddles when she came around and refused to even touch the bear. But on a subsequent visit, the same woman sneaked away from her group and gave Lindberg a hug. You don't want to embarrass them,'' says DiVito. Those days of innocence are gone, but the Hugs for Health Foundation is trying to mount a comeback for the simple hug.