PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (WPVI) — Dave Sylvester, a personal trainer from Southwest Philadelphia, is uplifting the world with the power of a hug.<\/p>\n
It all started when he lost his friend, Kevin Bowser, on September 11th, 2001.<\/p>\n
Sylvester dedicated a nationwide bicycle trip in memory of Bowser. Along the way, he broke bread with many strangers, grieving over the terrorist attacks and sharing hugs in the process.<\/p>\n
He used that experience as fuel to travel to other countries, and back across the United States, doing good deeds and sharing hugs with whomever he could find.<\/p>\n
On September 11th, 2026, Sylvester will host ‘Big Dave’s Hug Hub’<\/a> at the Philadelphia Film Society Center<\/a>, located near the corner of Broad and Chestnut.<\/p>\n The event, which runs from 8:30am to 12:00pm, will feature a slideshow of 3,000 photos from Sylvester’s 25-year journey around the world.<\/p>\n And of course, it will feature many hugs from ‘Big Dave’ himself.<\/p>\n His goal in the future is to bring the Hug Hub to other locations across the country, all while paying tribute to Bowser and others he lost throughout the years.<\/p>\n Watch the video above or visit the webpage<\/a> to learn more.<\/p>\n To follow Sylvester on social media, find him on Instagram @thehumanhigh5.<\/a><\/p>\n