President H.W. Bush honored wife with 'crazy socks'

The "Chief Happiness Officer" of John's Crazy Socks has Down syndrome.

April 25, 2018, 12:41 PM

President George H.W. Bush honored his late wife’s passion for literacy by wearing socks with books on them to her funeral last weekend.

PHOTO:  President George H.W. Bush wore book-themed socks created by a young entrepreneur with Down syndrome to his wife's funeral to honor her charity work.
President George H.W. Bush wore book-themed socks created by a young entrepreneur with Down syndrome to his wife's funeral to honor her charity work.
ABC News

The socks were a gift from 22-year-old John Cronin, an entrepreneur with Down syndrome who serves as the co-founder and “Chief Happiness Officer” of John’s Crazy Socks.

PHOTO: Former U.S. President George H.W. Bush wears socks printed with blue, red and yellow books during the funeral service for his wife, Barbara Bush, in Houston on April 21, 2018.
Former U.S. President George H.W. Bush wears socks printed with blue, red and yellow books during the funeral service for his wife, Barbara Bush, in Houston on April 21, 2018. Barbara Bush was known for bringing awareness to AIDS patients and for her work promoting literacy, which her husband subtly honored Saturday.
Paul Morse/Courtesy of Office of George H.W. Bush via AP

Cronin had previously learned President H.W. Bush has an affinity for fun socks and sent him a box of the colorful socks. The president tweeted a photo of himself wearing a pair of Cronin’s Down syndrome awareness superhero socks on World Down Syndrome Day and thanked the young entrepreneur.

After the first lady passed away, Bush contacted Cronin to see if John’s Crazy Socks had any socks he could wear on the day of the funeral. Cronin sent him a few pairs to choose from, including the book socks, along with a letter expressing his sympathy.

PHOTO:  President George H.W. Bush wore book-themed socks created by a young entrepreneur with Down syndrome to his wife's funeral to honor her charity work.
President George H.W. Bush wore book-themed socks created by a young entrepreneur with Down syndrome to his wife's funeral to honor her charity work.
ABC News

"I feel sad for President Bush, but I feel happy that he wore my socks," Cronin told ABC affiliate WABC in New York. "I want him to feel happy."

PHOTO:  President George H.W. Bush wore book-themed socks created by a young entrepreneur with Down syndrome to his wife's funeral to honor her charity work.
President George H.W. Bush wore book-themed socks created by a young entrepreneur with Down syndrome to his wife's funeral to honor her charity work.
ABC News

Founded in 2016, John’s Crazy Socks said they donate five percent of profits to the Special Olympics and hire people with disabilities, currently employing a workforce that’s half people with alternative abilities.

PHOTO:  President George H.W. Bush wore book-themed socks created by a young entrepreneur with Down syndrome to his wife's funeral to honor her charity work.
President George H.W. Bush wore book-themed socks created by a young entrepreneur with Down syndrome to his wife's funeral to honor her charity work.
ABC News

The company said 100 percent of the proceeds from the book socks will go to the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, a nonprofit organization Barbara Bush started while she served as First Lady.

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