12-Year-Old Converts Family's Garage To Haunted House For Charity

EAGAN, Minn. (WCCO) – The final hours before the opening of any attraction can be a bit of a rush.

"It's big and a lot of people are excited for it and you want to make them to have the best experience they can have," Charlie Dilla said.

At just 12 years old, Dilla knows how to find the balance between fear and fun.

"I think the scariest element is probably the jumping spider," he said.

He converted his family's garage into a haunted house.

"I thought the idea just sounded cool, scaring people and stuff," Dilla said.

The goal: scare the masses. But he also built the frightening tour with his friend Ben Schussler in mind.

"I wanted to help him," Dilla said.

"It just makes me happy that he took the time to make something," Ben Schussler said.

Nine-year-old Ben Schussler has muscular dystrophy, a disease that impacts his muscles.

"He really has trouble with even day to day things. Brushing his teeth, getting dressed," Ben's mother Missy Schussler said.

Charlie's way of helping? He'll donate all the proceeds to the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

"It melts your heart. It's just very touching to have the support of our friends and family," Missy Schussler.

Now in its second year, the haunted house grows bigger with more frightening features.

"I just feel like I have more expectation because more people are going to come," Dilla said.

A terrifying tour where the takeaway is more than just a good scare.

Read more
f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.