John Lee Cronin, the young Long Islander with Down syndrome who loved crazy socks and making people happy, combined those two loves into a business called John’s Crazy Socks with the help of his father.
Over the last six years they expanded that business to a store with 4,000 different socks to choose from; all the while keeping to a mission: To show what is possible when you give someone a chance.
“Every day, we demonstrate what people with intellectual disabilities can do,” the John’s Crazy Socks website says.
A documentary produced back in 2020 that tracks the origin and inspiration for John’s Crazy Socks is now available online to watch for free, according to John’s mother Carol, who announced the news on social media this week.
“Exciting news! The award-winning documentary short ‘Sock Guys’ is now available for everyone to watch for free,” she wrote. “Follow the inspiring journey of John and his father Mark as they share their story and the creation of John's Crazy Socks. Get ready for laughter, tears, and a reminder of what's possible when we spread happiness and embrace inclusion.”
You can watch the documentary below:
John’s Crazy Socks gives back 5% of their earnings to the Special Olympics as they’ve played a vital role in John’s development. They also continue to expand their charity partners by offering and creating socks with specific “awareness” themes, such as Autism Awareness Socks and Down Syndrome Awareness Socks.