College Student Hopes For Hugs Record

PROVO, Utah (AP) - August 26, 2007 -- Kneeling for children and stretching to embrace taller people, a college student believes she's hugged her way into the record books.

Jordan Pearce, 18, said she hugged 765 people in less than an hour Saturday and plans to send the results to Guinness World Records.

"I feel like I'm on cloud nine," Pearce said after the last hug Saturday.

The hugs took months of planning. Pearce and her family had to apply to Guinness World Records with detailed plans. The event had to be supervised by two prominent members of the community and covered by the news media.

District Judge Lynn Davis and state Sen. Curt Bramble counted the hugs, which required arms and hands wrapped around the person.

"I was getting pretty glistening," Pearce said of hugging - and sweating - in the hot sun.

A new record will not be approved until Guinness gets photographs, video and written statements from witnesses. The record is 612 hugs in an hour, the Daily Herald of Provo reported.

One man spilled a drink on Pearce. A little girl refused to let go of her blue sucker, and a little boy kicked and screamed, not wanting to hug a stranger, the newspaper said.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Get more News »

• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•