Life is too short, and we often take it for granted. I want to make a difference. At high school or college reunions, family gatherings, or chance encounters with old friends, the most common refrain is, “We need to get together soon—too much time has passed.” Yet more often than not, those good intentions never happen. Suddenly, we learn that someone we love has unexpectedly passed away, been diagnosed with a devastating illness, or developed early-onset Alzheimer"s, leaving them wheelchair-bound and in need of full-time care. The planned get-togethers never occur.
Most of us assume life will continue normally day after day—but that’s rarely how it unfolds.
This realization compelled me to flip the script. Instead of struggling to organize group gatherings (which rarely succeed due to careers, family obligations, distance, and more), I decided to take the initiative: travel from Rhode Island to Florida, stopping along the way to visit as many friends and loved ones as possible and give them a big hug.
As a lifelong hugger, I’ve named it my “Hug Tour”—spreading good feelings and, hopefully, putting smiles on faces wherever I go.
Then I thought: why not give it an even greater purpose? I’m turning the Hug Tour into a fundraiser for two meaningful causes:
1. **Curing Kids Cancer** – a wonderful organization dedicated to advancing research and treatment for childhood cancers. The attachment to CKC is Austin Herre. Austin is the most inspirational boy, who was diagnosed with Leukemia at 2 years old and rang the bell this past May, just shy of his 5th birthday.
2. **My dear friend Bob Diachenko and his family.** For those who know Bob, he’s one of the funniest, most caring, and family-oriented people you’ll ever meet. He’s now courageously battling Alzheimer's., requiring full-time care and confined to a wheelchair—a tremendous emotional and financial burden for his family.
I’m respectfully asking for your support. If you’re able, please consider making a donation of any amount—no contribution is too big or too small. All funds will be split between these two causes.
Finally, please do me (and yourself) a favor: hug everyone you love today. It’ll put a smile on their face and warm both your hearts.
If you can, please share or repost this message.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Bob Chasse