CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — A Clinton Township family has turned their passion for Halloween into a force for good, creating a homemade haunted house that raises money for diabetes research while delivering spine-tingling scares to visitors.
Jeff Wirick has spent 12 years perfecting his haunted attraction at 22943 Phelps Street in Clinton Township, driven by a lifelong love of frightening people that dates back to his childhood.
Watch Jeffrey Lindblom's video report below:
"My passion for scaring is my driving force behind this haunted house," Wirick said. "Ever since I was a little kid, I used to scare my mom all the time."
Wirick bought his current house specifically to accommodate his elaborate Halloween setup, which takes over the family's acre of land each October. His girlfriend of five years, Jess Johnson, shares his enthusiasm for the holiday, though she prefers a different role.
"We balance each other out. It's just a lot of fun," Johnson said, describing herself as more of the "giving out candy type" rather than the scaring type.
Take a tour of the haunted house below:
The haunted house has become a year-round project for the family, with preparations consuming most of September.
"It is almost 24/7 the whole month of September," Johnson said.
Wirick's 17-year-old daughter Kaylene has grown up surrounded by her father's frightening hobby, making her somewhat of a celebrity at her high school.
"Oh, yeah. I'm known for my house, yeah," Kaylene said.
Growing up as the target of her father's scares has made Kaylene particularly resilient to frightening experiences.
"I experienced it a lot growing up. I was a big target," she said. "I don't frighten too easily."
However, in 2020, the family faced a real-life challenge when Kaylene was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 12.
"It's different to have diabetes growing up as a teenager," Kaylene said. "It took a while to understand how it impacted my life because I didn't understand the severity of it when it first happened."
The diagnosis was difficult for the entire family, particularly Wirick, who wished he could take away his daughter's condition.
"I felt really sad for her. I wish I could have taken it away, but there was nothing I can do," Wirick said.
Despite the challenges, Kaylene credits her father with supporting her through her health journey.
"It's been really easy having him with me through it," she said.
The family's experience with diabetes inspired them to use their haunted house for a greater purpose beyond entertainment.
"Once it got so big and my daughter was diagnosed with diabetes, I was like, 'Maybe we should raise money for that,'" Wirick said.
Kaylene remains optimistic about the future and the potential for medical breakthroughs.
"I do have a lot of faith and hope towards finding a cure," she said.
The haunted house operates on Fridays and Saturdays from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Sundays from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Admission is free, but the family welcomes donations to support diabetes research.
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