A Bronx native is doing his part to help cure cancer one day with his own brand.
Matthew Gresia, 21, is a Morris Park native and a senior at Manhattan College.
Creativity from his Italian tailor grandpa that he never met and the desire to fight the cancer that killed him combined and a brand was born.
He created Canswer -- a fashion brand that donates money to cancer research and raising awareness. Gresia combined the words cancer and answer, with a goal is to find an answer to cancer that works.
He launched the brand in 2016 when he was a sophomore.
The brand has grown entirely via social media -- with 20,000 followers on Instagram now. And connections made including meeting the late rapper Mac Miller and his DJ Clockwork backstage at a show. They took the socks on tour with them and sold them with their merchandise.
Another connection made was to Alexandria, a 9-year-old girl hiking the Appalachian Trail to raise money for Saint Jude’s Children's Hospital. They made a shirt together to help raise money for both of their missions.
Gresia says he hopes to get his socks, hats, shirts and hoodies into retail stores soon.