Oh, no, not another T-shirt company! (eyes rolling)

I get it. The internet is flooded with so many creative people pushing T-shirts, hoping to make thousands in passive income. I would absolutely love that, but I am pushing more of a story with an inspirational message than encouraging everyone to clutter their closets with another article of clothing (although my shit is pretty cool!)

HERE IS MY STORY:

On December 20, 2019, my life was suddenly altered forever. After spending an amazing day goofing off and last minute Christmas shopping with my childhood bestie, I was on my way home when I was hit head-on by a drunk driver. The impact was so sudden and hard that my Hyundai was launched on top of a guardrail, teetering ass-end first over a 60-foot embankment. It took the rescue crew over an hour to extract me from my crumpled car because they had to hook it to a wench so they could use the jaws of life to yank my door open and pry the whole engine out of my crushed legs.

Not only did I suffer from compound fractures of both femurs, my left forearm was broken, as was my right foot and ankle, a few ribs, and a mild concussion. The doctors said I would most likely be in the hospital for 4 months (I was out in 2), and I would need an assistive device to help me walk for the rest of my life (I was back to running by August the same year). There’s SO MUCH that happened during my journey, I would need to write a book- but I will do my best to get the most important points across without boring the hell out of you!

During the most challenging times of my recovery, I found solace and strength in the love and support of my family and friends. Their unwavering belief in me fueled my determination to overcome the obstacles ahead, and I was also determined to be a good role model for the many young nieces and nephews in my life. I also realized that I was not the only one suffering, and if I remained positive and determined, it would help heal my loved ones as well.

It wasn’t just the love and support from the army of loved ones in my life that helped me along my journey; it was the power of movement and the transformative effects that I learned from being a gymnast in my youth, the many years of working as a massage therapist, teaching fitness and yoga, and my passion for hiking. I was also fortunate to grow up in a house full of music and dancing, which is embedded in my soul and I can’t go a day without it.

As I navigated through the healing process, I discovered the profound impact these activities had on my physical and mental well-being. They became my therapy and my path to reclaiming my body and spirit. Understanding the connection between mind, body, spirit and movement became my guiding light, especially during the tumultuous and certain times of Covid, which happened almost immediately after I came home from rehab. I was in a state where I felt that nothing worse could happen to me, but if it did, I could handle it- and that gave me a profound sense of peace.

THE BIRTH OF CRANKY SKELLY:

The Cranky Skelly with broken legs materialized out of a moment with a brief scuffle with my phone camera as I was attempting to post something on Instagram (which is one of my least favorite tasks!) I wanted to create a short video on demonstrating yoga poses to help promote happiness- but wound up wasting precious time fumbling with equipment, resulting in a cranky mood that prompted me to call my non-existing video “Cranky Yoga” instead of “Happy Yoga”. Being more of an imaginative and creative person, a vision of a cranky-faced skeleton performing Tree-pose with middle fingers in the air materialized in my head. I took the idea to my nephew’s wife, Nicole Tuttle, who is an amazing graphic artist, and she bought Cranky Skelly to life!

The other graphic designer is my niece, Emma Boyd, a graduate from Savannah College of Art and Design, who designed the rest of the Cranky Skellys. I love that this is a family and friends-oriented company. They are my biggest supporters, wearing and promoting my products everywhere!

OUR GOALS

We love to help promote positivity and healing through movement, kindness and compassion towards ourselves and others. Cranky Yoga is a brand that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and promotes a positive attitude towards life’s challenges. Our logo, with it’s skeleton in Tree Pose giving the middle finger symbolizes defiance in the face of adversity, a rebellious spirit that refuses to be defeated.

Every t-shirt we sell not only carries the story of my journey, but the journey of all the kick-ass warriors who triumph over adversity. It’s a reminder to embrace your inner strength and resilience. By wearing our t-shirts, you not only show your support for Cranky Yoga but also become part of a community that believes in the power of movement, positivity and to practice compassion and kindness towards ourselves and others.

Thank you for joining us on this journey. Together, we can inspire others to find their own path to healing, embrace the joy of movement, and stand against the challenges that life throws our way.

Bust most of all, and above all else, BE KIND- because in the end, kindness is all that matters :)

With love and gratitude,

Sandra Partridge, “Cranky” creator