BRISTOL--For many, Halloween is about the ghosts and goblins, but for a Bristol family, it’s about combating their biggest fear. That’s why Halloween weekend is a family affair at the Pelletier household.
Matthew Pelletier put the finishing touches on a haunted house run out of his family’s garage on Friday night. A senior at E.C. Goodwin Tech, he wired the entire display, hoping to give a good scare.
In its third year, the Pelletier's haunted house attracts hundreds of people, including friends, neighbors and even strangers passing by.
While it’s frightening for some, there’s one person you won’t hear screaming: 15-year-old, Andre Pelletier. He developed the layout, not only for fun, but as a means for fundraising too.
He wants to raise money for the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America, along with Youth Rally, a camp for teens with bowel and bladder conditions. Andre was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at age 11. Since then, he and his family have been trying to manage the disease, which has no cure.
“I look normal, but I’m not normal. All the pain is here. It’s something you can’t see on the outside,” said Andre.
Backed by his parent's, Andre's mom says they're hoping this night of fun will help ease their real fear, which is Andre’s disease developing into much more.
“Drug treatments that you have, have a risk to them. Those are different cancers,” said Donna Pelletier.
So far this year, they've only raised $425, but they're hoping to collect much more on Halloween night at their Beths Avenue home.