Woman spreads love with free hugs

MIAMI (WSVN) -- A South Florida woman is spreading the love by giving out free hugs.

Thirty-four-year-old Elaine Caban spend her Wednesday afternoon giving out free hugs outside the Miami-Dade County Courthouse. "Free hugs. Your hands are full, but your arms aren't," said Caban.

Caban said she has had several financial problems, but above all, she wants to give people joy. "I am literally a single mom with four boys. I have gone through financial difficulties, I had my car repossessed," she said.

Caban said she was inspired to go on Facebook and put together a group to give out free hugs. "I said, I don't care if I have to go by myself. I want to be that beacon of light, and we receive so much when we give hugs," she said.

Several others volunteered with Caban to give out free hugs. "Over the past four and a half years, my company went down, my oldest daughter passed away, and I had a hemorrhage, and I was going to pass away," said one volunteer.

One lawyer said he understands why some people at the courthouse need hugs. "Attorneys like myself are defending for closures and trying to help people out of the bad situation that we are all in," said Barry Cohen.  

This is not the first time someone has given out free hugs in South Florida. In September, a University of Miami graduate student gave out free hugs on the college campus.

Caban said her dream is to give out free hugs once a month. For people who may think what she is doing is strange, Caban said, they just need a hug.

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