FORT PIERCE —Scott Van Duzer’s hulking hug with President Obama on Sunday was the embrace felt around the world, garnering Fort Pierce global attention, the iconic image landing on the front page of The New York Times and Los Angeles Times.

Van Duzer made the media rounds on Monday to discuss Obama’s unexpected visit to his Fort Pierce pizza parlor. Van Duzer appeared live on MSNBC and planned to fly to New York City Monday night to appear on Tuesday’s Anderson Cooper daytime show, Inside Edition and possibly The Today Show. Van Duzer taped a segment for NBC Nightly News at Big Apple Pizza and Pasta restaurant Monday afternoon that was scheduled to air Monday night. He also spoke to CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, an interview also scheduled to air on The Situation Room Monday night.

Van Duzer said the hug was an emotional, unplanned moment. He also exchanged the signature presidential hug with news anchors and told Cooper during a television teaser that he was coming for the seasoned journalist.

“It was spur of the moment and genuine. I was just overcome with emotion. It seemed like he was a long-lost friend,” said Van Duzer, who exchanged jokes with Obama about his burly physique. Van Duzer is 6’3″ tall and weighs 260 pounds, compared to the president’s slimmer 6’1″, 170-pound frame.

“I put him down quickly and didn’t run off with him,” Van Duzer said. “It was a controlled state and the environment was nonthreatening.”

Van Duzer said minutes before Obama arrived, Secret Service agents swept the area for weapons and cleared the restaurant of forks, knives and other sharp objects. Van Duzer, his staff and 10 patrons dining in at the time were searched and patted down.

Van Duzer’s wife, Dawn, said the hug was typical of her husband. “It was an innocent gesture. That’s just the way Scott is,” she said. “He gets so excited and is always giving out hugs.”

The media firestorm has brought worldwide attention to the Van Duzer Foundation. Scott founded the nonprofit four years ago to help one family a month with financial and medical crises. He said Obama caught wind of his foundation’s work and decided to stop into his shop.

Van Duzer’s annual blood drive holds the state record for the largest blood donations in a single day. Van Duzer and several children from the Boys and Girls Club of St. Lucie County biked to Washington, D.C., in June to raise awareness about blood shortages around the country. During their trip, the group met with U.S. Surgeon General Regina M. Benjamin.

Fort Pierce resident and Big Apple staffer Jessica Ray, 15, was working the midday shift during the historic visit.

“I honestly thought he was going to be taken down by the Secret Service. They took a few steps forward, but President Obama waved them off when he put his arms out,” Ray said. “That’s normal Scott. He’s a great guy and a great boss.”

Treasure Coast residents were abuzz Monday about the bear hug and national attention.

“How many people can say they picked up the president, literally?” said Fort Pierce resident Julie Kendall Snyder, 28. “He seemed to like it too!”

Port St. Lucie resident, Jim Wethington, 42, said he wasn’t surprised by the big gesture.

“Knowing Scott and the man that he is, it was not a surprise to me for his reaction,” Wethington said. “I know it will be one of the things that President Barack Obama will surely remember of his presidency. I know that none of us around the Treasure Coast will soon forget.”

Tags | hug, President Obama, Scott Van Duzer