People Love This Dad And His Insanely Cute Turtle Hat

"You cannot take yourself too seriously with a turtle on your head."

By
Julia Reinstein
by Julia Reinstein

BuzzFeed News Reporter

Meet Lynn Johnson, a 63-year-old from Indiana and the proud owner of a hat that looks like a turtle.

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Johnson found the hat in a Colorado ski shop 20 years ago, and it amused him so much he bought it instantly. The hat quickly "became something of a phenomenon," he told BuzzFeed News.

"Within 48 hours, I began to see what this hat did," Johnson said. "Even TSA will gave me a smile when I went through airport security."

Since then, "there’s not a week that's gone by" that Johnson hasn't worn the hat.

And now, Johnson's got a big goal: he wants to fill the world with turtle hats.

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He launched a Kickstarter (complete with the greatest pitch video you'll ever see) on August 26 to fund a big group order of turtle hats just like his.

Johnson decided to start the campaign when he realized his beloved hat was getting worn out.

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This issue first presented itself several years ago, when the first incarnation of the hat had to be retired due to wear and tear.

“It took me eight years of looking to find one, and then I finally found a resale vintage one on Etsy," Johnson said. "I snapped it up and wore it for about three years. And then I realized, this one is going to get stained too."

So, he spoke to his "contacts in the hat industry" and got a few samples made, but learned the minimum order of hats is $5,000. His daughter told him about crowdfunding, and thus his Kickstarter was born.

People near and far agreed: Lynn Johnson and his turtle hat were too pure for this Earth.

Patrick Monahan @pattymo

The Turtle Hat Kickstarter is so kind and irony-free that I don't even think I can handle it. I respect it https://t.co/9dRj2K0ar3

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Jenny Jaffe @jennyjaffe

Honestly I hope the cold dead heart of the internet never changes this beautiful man. https://t.co/tJrDgXKlbC

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Todd Hitler @dongoehubaire

Give 👏 your 👏 money 👏 to 👏 the 👏 turtle 👏 hat 👏 dad 👏 https://t.co/bqGLXlZljv

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Johnson said his family loves the turtle hat, and he even wore it to officiate his daughter's wedding recently.

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His wife and two daughters have been "so supportive" of his crowdfunding initiative.

"They see how much joy it gives me to be doing this," he said.

Now, Johnson's starting to think even bigger: besides selling the hats on Kickstarter, he wants to sell them at zoos and beach stores.

“You can not be rude when wearing a turtle," Johnson wrote on Kickstarter. "Not only would it be impolite, you will also look stupid.”

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"You cannot take yourself too seriously with a turtle on your head," he said.

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