John Cronin, co-founder of John’s Crazy Socks, finally got to meet his favorite football player, New York Jet wide receiver Jamison Crowder, though the two had already connected in a profound way well before meeting face-to-face. John was drawn to Jamison because Jamison has a younger brother, Jamaris, who, like John, has Down syndrome and the two had many links that bring them together. Those connections became even more personal and deeper when Jamison did something special for John when John was hospitalized with COVID-19 in late 2020. Read on to learn more.
Jamison Crowder and His Work for the Down Syndrome Community
Jamison is devoted to Jamaris and does all he can so his brother can have the best life possible. Even though Jamaris is non-verbal, Jamison connects with him every day via Facetime. That daily communication becomes another link with John and contributes to the admiration John has for Jamison. When John’s older brother, Patrick, left for college in 2008, he called John every day. Now, nearly 14 years later, the two brothers continue that daily phone call just as Jamison and Jamaris do.
Jamison extends the love and devotion he has for Jamaris to the larger Down syndrome community. He volunteers his time and shows up at events to help Down syndrome organizations. Jamison organizes a football camp at his alma mater Duke University specifically for athletes with differing abilities. As part of the NFL My Cause, My Cleats, he wears cleats to celebrate people with Down syndrome and then auctions off those cleats to raise money for the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS). And there is another connection: NDSS is a charity partner of John’s Crazy Socks and John is a member of the board of directors for the NDSS.
Last Thursday evening, the NDSS gave an award to Jamison (Most Valuable Brother) and recognized his outstanding work and generosity at their annual gala. John stood with the others in attendance to give Jamison a standing ovation. And then John got to meet his favorite football player.
A Personal Bond between John Cronin and Jamison Crowder
From the moment that John learned of Jamison Crowder having a bother with Down syndrome, he became John’s favorite player. When Jamison became a New York Jet, that only heightened John’s fandom because John is a Jet fan. He likes to joke, “I know how to suffer.” On game days, John wears his Jamison Crowder jersey and roots hard for both his favorite player and his favorite team.
Yet there is more. In late 2020, John developed the COVID-19 virus and on Christmas Day his condition became so bad that doctors put him in Huntington Hospital. For several days, his conditioned worsened and doctors moved John to the intensive care unit. Fighting to breath and afraid, John struggled to find his usual optimism. That’s when he heard from Jamison.
Jamison had learned through contacts with the NDSS that John was sick and in the hospital. He made a video to wish John well and encourage him on his recovery. That video, filled with warmth, generosity and good will, sent John’s spirits soaring. His condition soon turned around and eight days later, a healthy John sang and danced his way out of the hospital. John benefited from the tremendous care of the doctors, nurses and staff at Huntington Hospital, and the support of his family – his father Mark stayed with John the entire time he was in the hospital – but Jamison’s video had an important role in John’s recovery.
At the NDSS Gala, John got to meet Jamison Crowder and it would be hard to find a bigger smile than John’s when the two met. Jamison greeted John with a hug. They spoke about Jamaris. John invited Jamison and his brother to visit his business, John’s Crazy Socks, and Jamison invited John to attend his football camp at Duke University.
The bond between these two men, the football player and the sock tycoon, only deepened that night. John may be on a mission to spread happiness, but Jamison was the one spreading happiness that night.
The next day, John sent both Jamison and Jamaris a box of socks.
About John’s Crazy Socks
John’s Crazy Socks was inspired by John Lee Cronin, a young man with Down syndrome, and his love of colorful and fun socks—what he calls his “crazy socks.” He and his father, Mark X. Cronin, started the company as a social enterprise with a mission of Spreading Happiness™. They do this by offering socks people can love that allows an expression of one’s true self. More than half their employees have a differing ability, and their Giving Back program has raised over $475,000 for charity partners like the Special Olympics, the National Down Syndrome Society and the Autism Society of America. Most of all, they are Spreading Happiness™.
For more information about John’s Crazy Socks, visit our webpage, Facebook page, Instagram account or YouTube channel. You can also contact us at 631-760-5625 or via email at service@johnscrazysocks.com.
