The Heartfelt Story Behind UCF Alum’s Annual Mom Hugs Day

Highlights

• Content warning: This article touches on sensitive topics of mental health and suicide. Resources available for UCF students, faculty and staff are included.

• The fifth annual Mom Hugs Day, organized by Kelly Haskins '91, will be held Thursday, Sept. 24, from noon until 2 p.m. at Ferrell Commons in partnership with UCF Wellness and Health Promotions Services (WHPS).

Every time a UCF student accepts a hug from Kelly Haskins '91, the radio-TV grad pulls them in and asks the same question:

"When was the last time you saw your mom?"

When she first started Mom Hugs Day in 2022 as a tribute to her late son/former UCF student, Hunter, she was stunned by some of the answers.

"There were a few international kids who had not seen their moms in two years," she recalls. "Those hugs meant a lot."

Four years in, the fifth annual Mom Hugs Day - which will be held Thursday, Sept. 24, from noon until 2 p.m. at Ferrell Commons - has grown from two moms to 50. Some bring pre-packaged snacks and water to hand out. Some sense a student is really struggling and personally connect them to Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) or Student Health Services to get the support they need. Chipper, the UCF Police Department therapy dog, makes appearances.

Haskins looks forward to organizing the event every year on behalf of her nonprofit organization, Do It for Hunter, in partnership with UCF Wellness and Health Promotions Services (WHPS).

"We get more out of it than we give. We walk away just filled with love, and we all say, we wish we could do this every day," Haskins says. "We just want to do a little something to try to help especially some of the young people in our area because after losing Hunter, we didn't want this to happen to another family."

Remembering Hunter

Haskins, who has called Merritt Island, Florida, home since she moved from Michigan in the ninth grade, is from a family of Knights. Her husband, Andrew Haskins '97, graduated with an electrical engineering degree. They sent their daughters Haley '16 (psychology) and Hannah '18 (nursing) here.

By the time her son Hunter enrolled in 2021, she was practiced at the college kid send-off.

Hunter Haskins enrolled at UCF after graduating from Merritt Island High School. (Photo courtesy of Kelly Haskins)

"I think he seemed to be more prepared and more mature than kids his age because he grew up with two older sisters. He knew how to do his laundry. He knew how to cook for himself," she says.

Five weeks into the semester, on Sept. 29, 2021, Hunter took his life. When he was found, his laptop was still open. He'd just failed a math test.

"He was just the most normal kid, and the last one you would think of for this to happen to. But Hunter wasn't much of a talker. He wouldn't talk about his feelings, and we will never know exactly why," she says. "I think he had a panic attack, and he didn't know how to handle it."

Now she purposefully has conversations with teenagers about the inevitable ups and downs of life. She tells them it's OK to fail a test because you'll get another chance to take it again, just like she did in college algebra. She hosts an annual You Matter Day at Hunter's high school and works to install suicide awareness benches in parks, schools and other community areas.

"I know I'm a different person now. There's the 'before' me and the 'now' me," she says. "It does give me a lot of purpose. When I get feedback from and hearing that somebody was helped, then it makes it all worth it."

Simple Idea Leads to Meaningful Impact

Haskins got the idea for Mom Hugs Day when she saw an older, retired couple publicized for bringing lawn chairs to a now-forgotten campus to offer hugs to college students. She immediately got the wheels in motion.

Although she is now retired, she started the event while she was vice president of marketing at Launch Credit Union. She cashed in a PTO day every year for the couple of hours she spent on campus giving out hugs.

"Best PTO day ever - so worth it," she says. "It's my favorite day of the year."

Moms supply refreshments and prepacked snacks to go along with their free hugs. (Photo courtesy of Kelly Haskins)

WHPS Director Stephanie Spies has helped coordinate the event since its inception, and she has witnessed first-hand the magic that happens from the simple act of connection.

"To see that many students who were so excited just to be able to get a hug from a mom, or [who] ended up calling their moms or grandmas afterward because they missed them or connecting with students who had been impacted by suicide - it's just been an overwhelmingly positive experience," Spies says.

It expanded to Florida Atlantic University this year, and Haskins continues to get requests from non-UCF moms to bring it to other Florida campuses. She always replies with if someone can make a connection with the university on her behalf, she's up for a road trip.

"Some of the most meaningful things that we can do don't have to cost a lot of money," she says.

Resources for UCF Students, Faculty and Staff

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call 988. Free, confidential counseling is available 24/7 for mental health struggles, emotional distress, alcohol or drug use concerns, or simply available for anyone who needs someone to talk to.

It's important to prioritize taking care of your mental health. Take advantage of these resources at UCF to help you:

Students

• UCF Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) offers a wide range of free mental health services to currently registered undergraduate and graduate students. Students can access CAPS by visiting their offices by Student Health Services, between the Biology and Physical Sciences buildings, or by scheduling an appointment online or by phone at 407-823-2811. During non-business hours, students can call 407-823-2811 and press 5 to be immediately connected to a licensed therapist.
• Wellness and Health Promotions Services provides proactive programming and education for students to practice lifelong skills that improve quality of life on topics that include stress management, nutrition and social wellness.
• Center for Student Care and Advocacy assists students facing personal hardships, academic concerns, well-being challenges, or unexpected crises. If you are need of support or are concerned about a UCF Knight, please fill out this form.
• TalkCampus Peer Support Platform connects students with peers around the world who may be going through similar experiences. It is a safe, judgment-free space to share your thoughts, receive encouragement and find support whenever you need it.

Faculty and Staff

• The UCF Employee Assistance Program offers a 24-hour emergency hotline and in-person, telephonic or video counseling with licensed professional counselors. It is confidential and free to all faculty and staff (excluding OPS student employees) as well as their eligible family members, including spouses, dependent children, parents and parents-in-law.

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