A Pennsylvania father’s Facebook post has gone viral after he gave out free ‘dad hugs’ at the Pittsburgh Pride parade and comforted strangers rejected by their families for their sexual orientation.
Howie Dittman, 44, headed to the Pride parade with a group of friends wearing ‘free dad hugs’ and ‘free mom hugs’ shirts on June 9, opening up his arms to strangers and offering a comforting embrace.
He took to the social network to detail how he gave out ‘hundreds of hugs’ and while most were joyful, ‘way too many’ fell into his arms with heartbreaking stories.
‘He was kicked out at 19 when his parents found out. They haven’t spoken to him since. He cried on my shoulder. Sobbed. Squeezed me with everything he had. I felt a tiny bit of that pain that he carries with him every minute of every day. He was abandoned because of who he loves,’ he shared.
Pennsylvania father Howie Dittman, 44, has gone viral for giving out free ‘dad hugs’ at the Pittsburgh Pride parade and comforting strangers rejected by their families for their sexual orientation. Pictured above at the June 9 parade hugging strangers
Dittman was inspired by his friend Dena Hays (pictured together) who attended the Pride parade with Free Mom Hugs, an organization that advocates for LGBTQ equality
He opened up about eye-opening experience on Facebook sharing stories about some of the heartbroken strangers he comforted
‘And on June 9th, 2019, he was participating in a celebration of love when he was brought to his emotional knees by a shirt that said “FREE DAD HUGS” on a complete stranger,’ he added.
He opened up about another woman who fell into Dittman’s arms with tears in her eyes.
‘She stood in front of me and looked up at me, with a look of sadness and helplessness that I’ll never forget. She hugged me with everything she had. And I hugged her back. She held on for so long, melting into me, and thanked me endlessly. And I can’t stop thinking about her. What she must be going thru with her family…,’ he said.
‘Imagine that, parents. Imagine that your child feels SO LOST FROM YOU that they sink into the arms of a complete stranger and sob endlessly just because that stranger is wearing a shirt offering hugs from a dad,’ he added.
He shared the story of a man kicked out of his home at he age of 19 because his parents found out he was gay and a girl who approached him in tears. He said he hopes his work will make parents realize the trauma and emotional pain they put their children through when they reject them
‘It was incredibly powerful and humbling to be a part of those moments,’ Dittman said on the event. Dittman pictured hugging a stranger
His post has racked up more than 363,000 likes and over 261,000 shares.
Speaking on his good deed, the Karns City man says that he and his peers left with a ‘deeper understanding of the abyss if pain’ those rejected by their families feel.
‘It was incredibly powerful and humbling to be a part of those moments,’ he said to Fox35.
Dittman is hoping his work will teach parents to think twice about their children and rejecting them on account of who they love.
Recalling the high emotions of the Pride parade to his wife he said, ‘It was amazing, and I’m really pissed off. I’m not okay with this.’
‘Imagine that, parents. Imagine that your child feels SO LOST FROM YOU that they sink into the arms of a complete stranger and sob endlessly just because that stranger is wearing a shirt offering hugs from a dad,’ Dittman said. He is pictured above on social media
‘How are these people parents? What are you doing? How can you treat your children like that just because of who they love? Even if you don’t agree with it, how can you just cut them off?’ he added to People Magazine.
Dittman runs the volunteer group Helping Butler County and is dedicated to helping his community.
He said he was inspired to attend the Pride Parade after Denna Hays, the founder of the Butler County Alliance for Children RSVP’ed to a Facebook event called Free Mom Hugs chapter page.
‘It sounded like a great way to put a smile on peoples’ faces, and I did have a suspicion that dads, in general, aren’t likely as accepting of individuals in the LGBTQ lifestyle as a mom would be,’ Dittman said to Parents.com.
So far he’s given out over 700 hugs and doesn’t plan to stop any time soon.