John Cronin, who has Down syndrome, is co-founder of “John’s Crazy Socks” – a multi-platform company with an uplifting motto: “Spreading Happiness.”
According to John’s father and co-founder, Mark, the entrepreneurial venture grew out of a very practical challenge: finding gainful employment for an individual with different abilities.
Back in 2016, John Cronin was preparing to graduate from high school and eager to figure out what he was going to do next. He first suggested the idea of operating a food truck with his dad, but there was one major problem – neither of them knew how to cook.
But then John had an idea.
“Dad, we should sell crazy socks,” he told his father. John had been wearing colorful and creative socks as far back as he could remember, so he knew a thing or two about the project.
“I wore crazy socks my entire life,” John recalled. “They let me be me.”
Together, the father and son team created their online business, identified vendors, shot some videos, and began some modest marketing efforts. In their first month of operation, they shipped 452 orders and raked in $13,000 in revenue. Eleven years later, the company has now processed over 500,000 orders and shipped their socks to 94 countries.
In May, John and Mark opened their first brick-and-mortar store in their hometown of Huntington on Long Island.
“We’re a couple of knuckleheads selling socks,” Mark mused this week. “But it means so much to other people.”
The meaning, of course, isn’t just in the socks but in the significance of the fact that a young man with Down syndrome is thriving and loving life.
“We’re not just selling socks,” Mark says. “It’s so important to show what people with different abilities can do. It’s important for people with different abilities to see people like themselves working and owning a business.”
“John’s Crazy Socks” has created and supplied jobs for 22 people with different abilities.
Tragically, between 67% and 89% of women with a prenatal Down syndrome diagnosis in recent years have chosen abortion. In Iceland, the condition has virtually disappeared because every woman with a prenatal Down diagnosis has chosen abortion.
During a recent day in their new retail store, a camera crew caught John and his father in conversation.
“What do I say to you every morning?” asked Mark. “It’s going to be a great day!” John smiled and replied, “It’s going to be the best day ever!”
So, if individuals with Down syndrome can joyfully and successfully run a sock empire, why would so many mothers and fathers choose to abort children diagnosed with the condition?
Ignorance, fear, and an overarching disconnect when it comes to the sanctity of human life are among the top reasons why children with the condition meet such a tragic fate.
John and Mark have over 4,000 choices of socks and from the beginning have donated five percent of all earnings to the Special Olympics.
“We love what we do,” father and son write on their website. “We hope you love our socks and that your experience with John’s Crazy Socks brings you happiness.”
We hope and pray that the popularity of their socks won’t just bring a smile to people’s faces but also serve to warm and change the cold hearts of those who have long underestimated the innate value and dignity of every individual, preborn and born.
Photo Credit: Mike Coppola/Getty Images