ROYAL OAK, Mich. (WXYZ) — A 13-year-old boy in Royal Oak is back at it this Halloween, bringing the frights and haunts while making a difference in the lives of other local kids.
In 2023, 7 News Detroit brought you the story of then-11-year-old cancer survivor Jackson Amick and his haunted attraction, which raised thousands of dollars for kids fighting cancer at Corewell Health in Royal Oak.
Watch Brett Kast's video report below:
This year, the now-13-year-old has a haunted house that’s bigger and better than ever.
“He has been a Halloween fanatic and has had a huge passion for it since he was 3,” Jackson’s father Thom Amick said.
The front yard of their home has been transformed into a homemade haunted house. Despite the fact it’s made by a 13-year-old and his dad, it’s scarier than you might think.
Thom Amick says the whole display takes them about a month to set up and was first put up in 2019. This year for the third time, it’s also a fundraiser for an important cause.
“We thought a couple years ago, we would combine his passion for Halloween and helping kids with cancer,” Thom Amick said.
Watch our 2023 story with Jackson and Thom Amick below:
Five years ago, Jackson was diagnosed with leukemia and underwent chemotherapy treatment at Corewell Royal Oak. He’s been cancer free since 2022 but has used this haunted display to raise money to buy special chemo shirts for kids at both Corewell and Detroit Medical Center’s Children's Hospital of Michigan.
“A chemo shirt pretty much unzips… you can pull the flap down, so you don't have to disrobe to access your port and get chemo treatment,” Thom Amick said.
Jackson added, “when you take your full shirt off, you feel more uncomfortable than you do just flapping it down and keeping most of it on.”
In 2023, word spread fast helping Jackson raise over 4,000, delivering dozens of shirts himself.
“We had people from Livonia, Brighton, St. Clair Shores who came out to travel through the haunt, buy shirts or simply make a donation, so it was a wonderful result,” Thom Amick said.
This year, the mission is the same but with new additions like a custom-made creature designed by Jackson and his friends that was made just for him as part of his wish from Make-A-Wish.
As screams turn to smiles — both in the tunnel and at the hospital — Jackson’s haunts continues its mission once again.
“It was wonderful to see at that time an 11-year-olds face to see that both his passions can turn into something rewarding for kids going through the same thing he went through,” Thom Amick said.
The spooky tunnel is open this weekend and then Tuesday through Halloween at 405 Mount Vernon in Royal Oak. You can also buy shirts for $30 with all proceeds helping to buy chemo shirts for kids.
