An Australian man known around the world for giving free hugs to anyone who asks has said he plans to go one step further by donating one of his kidneys to a stranger, a report said.
Juan Mann, who came to worldwide attention in 2004 after a video of him dispensing free hugs in Sydney’s central business district appeared on YouTube, expects to undergo surgery next year.
“I am young, I am fit, I am healthy, I have two kidneys,” the 26-year-old, who does not use his real name, told the Sun-Herald.
PHOTO: AFP
“I don’t really drink. I don’t need that second one and someone will be able to get out of hospital.”
Mann will face psychiatric and physical tests in hospital before he can make the donation, the process of which will be filmed and later broadcast online, the paper said.
“I will never meet the recipient; I will never know if the transplant is a success or a failure; I will never know if my kidney kills the person,” Mann said.
“Apparently once you give your kidney you will never feel whole.
“But I’ll get a cool scar and apparently chicks dig scars.”
Mann, who spends about one day a week holding a ‘FREE HUGS’ sign above his head in Sydney’s Pitt Street Mall, has inspired free hugs movements around the world. (AFP)
有報導指出,因免費擁抱陌生人而名聞全球的澳洲男子表示,他打算進一步捐出自己的一顆腎臟給陌生人。
二OO四年,YouTube上一段胡安.曼恩在雪梨中心商業區免費擁抱路人的影片讓他吸引全球矚目;他預計明年進行捐腎手術。
這位不願意透露真實姓名的二十六歲年輕人向《太陽前鋒報》表示:「我年輕、身強體壯又健康,還有兩顆腎臟。」
「我不太喝酒,所以我不需要第二顆腎,但有人卻可以因此出院。」
該報指出,在捐腎前,曼恩將到醫院接受心理和生理檢測;整個過程都將被拍攝下來,然後放上網路分享。
曼恩說:「我永遠不會和這名接受移植者見面;我永遠不會知道移植是成功或失敗; 我也永遠不會知道我的腎臟會不會害死那個人。」
「很顯然地,一旦捐出腎臟,就會感覺不再完整。」
「但我會得到一個很酷的傷疤,而且女人似乎很喜歡傷疤。」
每週約有一天會在雪梨彼特街購物商場高舉「免費抱抱」牌子的曼恩,已在全球掀起一股免費抱抱的風潮。
(法新社�翻譯:袁星塵)
A: In its latest annual travel guide, Bloomberg recommended two restaurants in Taipei: Golden Pig barbeque from South Korea and two-Michelin-star restaurant A. B: Also, tourists should definitely try Taiwanese cuisine while they’re here. Mountain & Sea House, Shin Yeh Taiwanese Cuisine, and Fujin Tree Taiwanese Cuisine & Champagne are good options. A: For local snacks, Fu Hang Soy Milk, Fu-Ba-Wang Pigs’ Knuckles Restaurant, and Wang Ji Rice Dumplings are all very popular. B: And the gold medalists of the 2025 Taipei International Beef Noodle Festival — Yun Shui Kitchen, The Howard Plaza Hotel Taipei, and Come N’ Eat
A: Bloomberg just released its annual travel guide, titled “25 Best Places to Travel in 2026.” What were the best Asian destinations? B: There were actually six Asian hotspots: Taiwan’s Taipei, Malaysia’s Penang, Kazakhstan’s Almaty, Indonesia’s Rote Island, India’s Tiger Reserves, and Oman. A: With its mix of traditional food and modern cuisine, Taipei has become a rising food capital in Asia. B: As Bloomberg reported, “Taiwan is a place that bubbles up in culinary conversation because of its famed beverage, bubble tea, and its early adoption of modern night markets.” A: And Din Tai Fung has now
Facing relentless flooding and rising expenses, Dumble Farm in England has stopped selling milk and started an unexpected but therapeutic venture: cow cuddles. In 2022, the owners sold most of their dairy cows and began letting visitors spend time brushing, petting, and even hugging specially trained Highland cows for 95 pounds per session. This unusual shift reflects the rise of the so-called healing economy, a sector where animal-assisted experiences are marketed as emotional remedies for stress and burnout. While dogs and cats remain the most common therapy animals, cows are gaining popularity for their calm nature. At Dumble Farm, only cows that
For many introverts, shy individuals and people with social anxiety, mingling at parties is often draining or arouses uncomfortable emotions. The internal debate about whether or not to attend large get-togethers can get especially intense during the holiday season, a time when many workplaces celebrate with cocktail hours, gift exchanges and other forms of organized fun. “Some people are just not party people,” City University of New York social work professor Laura MacLeod said. “With a workplace holiday party, there’s a pressure to be very happy and excited. It’s the end of the year, it’s the holidays, we’re all feeling grand.