Our Story - Huggie Bear Products

The Huggie Bear Product line was inspired by our mother Norma Mae Huggins. Norma was a godly Christian lady, wife ,mother and friend to many. Norma was loving, kind, nurturing and humble a great cook and a hard worker. She loved the Lord, her husband and her children and would do any thing for them.

She was the cook at Eastern Ohio Basketball camp for the many years that our dad, Charlie Huggins and her owned the camp. She touched many lives, both young and old, during those years. She would get up at 4:00am to go start breakfast and get the coffee on for the coaches. The coaches knew no matter what time they would come in she would always have there coffee and a smile and ask about there family and about their team. After breakfast she would clean up and start lunch always a good hot meal with a salad bar. Then after lunch it was getting ready for dinner. Then after that she would work the concession stand till 11:00pm before going to the house for her bible reading and getting ready for bed. So she could get up and start all over again.

I can remember when we lived in Midvale Ohio we did not have a lot of money growing up so she would make things for us .The girls she took a old cardboard box and made a stove and burners with a red crayon to make it look hot. For the boys she gave them an old clothes basket to shoot hoops in, she would put it on the steps and each time they made it she would move it up one step. (That was coach Bob Huggins first hoop)

Mom was diagnosed with colon cancer in Jan. of 2003 and went to be with the Lord in just 5 short months She died on her wedding anniversary May 23. I would like to share some of the things that coaches, former players, workers and all that knew her wrote we received hundreds and hundreds of letters from all who knew and loved her.

Coaches wrote how she loved her husband, and children and the many long hours she would put in and still always have a smile and kind word to say. Mothers of the younger boys and girls that went to camp wrote of how scared at first they were to come to camp but when they meet the cook and found that she was so kind and nice they made them feel better.

Former players of our dad wrote how no matter how many years had passed she always remembered them  and would ask about there families and how things were going. They remember coming to the house and she always had enough food for all who entered no matter how many showed up.

Some wrote of how they considered it an honor to be counted as one of many people who had the privilege of knowing her. Many wrote of the love and testimony she left behind and how they would cherish her memories for a life time.

When Da'Sean Butler went down this year during the Final Four semifinals game against Duke and Bob rushed to his side, that is how our mom was, always there to help, encourage, nurture and talk them through the tough times, always concerned for the family and others.

In closing I want all to know the impact of how one life had on so many people It reminds me of how when a stone is dropped into a lake it disappears but the ripples it leaves behind reaches out across the lake. Just as our mother's life has done for so many.

Thanks for letting me share with you about our mother. We wanted to give you just a small look into why raising money for cancer means so much to our family.

Debbie Huggins Bradford

Our Mom was 1 in a million so lets raise a million to help fight cancer!
Norma Mae Huggins Cancer Research Endowment Fund