If you ever happen to visit Hamilton in Bermuda, then do make it a point to visit Foot of the Lane roundabout. You will be enthusiastically greeted by the charming Johnny Barnes aka Mr. Happy Man.

You will hear him shout 'I love you, God loves you'.  Don't mistake him for just another old man looking for money! He is one of those guys, who stands on that roundabout from 4 am to 10 am every weekday (without fail) only with one purpose: Love. He stands there during office rush to remind people that they need to start their day with a smile and lots of love. People who've been living there for a while, can't seem to start their day without him. And if by any chance, they don't see him standing there, the radio station starts receiving frantic calls; he is undoubtedly the Islands' most cherished, respected and loved man.

People of Hamilton are so used to him, that they consider him as their lucky omen. Once Barnes, missed out on greeting a lady who was on her way to deliver her first baby. She is so used to Barnes loving and satisfying greetings, that she felt uneasy delivering her baby without his dose of love. She went back to the round about, and this time Barnes saw her and shouted, "I love you, God loves you.". She later had a healthy baby boy.

People of Hamilton love him so much, that in November 1998, a group of local businessmen installed a life-size statue of Johnny Barnes blowing kisses in the air.

Recently, Matt Morris Films have created a documentary about Mr. Happy Man, his selfless gestures and stories of how his simple wave and kiss inspires people to smile everyday.



"Come rain or shine, 88-year-old Bermudian Johnny Barnes devotes six hours every day to an endearing traffic ritual that has made him one of the island’s most cherished citizens."