The Birth of the Free Hugs Project:
While viewing the devastation of the 2013 bombing of the Boston Marathon, Ken was determined to be a participant in the next race. He failed to qualify by just 23 seconds, so he decided to attend the event in a different way. He provided free hugs to runners as encouragement along the route. This simple act made national news headlines and lifted runners spirits. Hugs produced smiles and gave runners an extra boost as they ran.