‘Michael Hugs’ stops people in their tracks in Tennessee
One Gallatin man is going the extra mile by bringing a horror character to life in the streets of his city this week. News 4 came across a man at Gallatin Square that looks just like Michael Myers from the Halloween movies
By Courtney Allen
Click here for updates on this story
GALLATIN, Tennessee (WSMV) — Everyone has their favorite scary movies to watch around this time of year. One Gallatin man is going the extra mile by bringing one of those characters to life in the streets of his city this week. News 4 came across a man Monday afternoon at Gallatin Square that looks just like Michael Myers from the Halloween movies, but the local man goes by a slightly different name.
Monday, the Gallatin Square was full of honks and wide-eyed kids over a spooky sighting. “At first, it is kind of creepy,” one woman said.
People spotted a white, stone-faced man by the name of ‘Michael Hugs.’ “Then when you know why he is doing it, it is actually kind of cool,” the woman said.
The man behind the mask stood at the busy intersection and offered hugs to all. “Not everyday do you get to hug Michael Myers,” the woman said. “Most of the time, he is wanting to kill you.” People jumped out of cars to grab a hug and a picture, and kids loved him. “We saw him yesterday standing out here giving free hugs,” parent Ashley Harris said. “Our boys love Halloween and wanted to get a hug. The little one has been talking about it all day at daycare.”
‘Michael Hugs’ first came out Sunday afternoon and planned to be out for just about an hour. One hour turned into four hours, and now he plans to be posted up at the square all week. “It is unbelievable,” ‘Michael Hugs’ said. “I had over a hundred people that stopped me and are just thankful for what I am doing. You never really know who needs a hug.”
His wife and children said it’s just in his character. “It is heartwarming and definitely a thing he would think to do,” his daughter, Abby Thurber, said. “This is a him thing,” his wife, Ashley Thurber, added.
‘Michael Hugs’ said his day job is selling medical supplies in Gallatin. This is the first time he has done this and said he thought it was what people needed after a tough year. ‘Michael Hugs’ has been such a hit that he’s already considering coming back for Christmas and giving out gifts.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
