Westmoreland County man's backyard haunted house raises money for those in need

An Irwin man is turning his love of Halloween into something straight out of a horror movie. What started as a small backyard display has grown into a full-blown haunted experience, complete with giant animatronics, holograms and movie monsters. And while it's certainly spooky, it's also helping the community. 

When you walk down the driveway, you're greeted by a 12-foot vampire and a whole lot of screams coming from inside. The "haunted path" is a backyard experience that's as much as giving back as it is about getting a good scare. 

It took months to bring it to life. The backyard transformation is built on one man's obsession of all things spooky. 

"Whenever I was little, I always wanted to trick or treat until I could not trick or treat anymore," said Jesse Costanzo.

Anyone who dares to enter encounters animated creatures, spooky holograms and iconic frightening characters like Chucky, the Nun and Art the Clown.

"I have these crazy ideas and then I build on it and I want to have themes that match throughout everywhere that you go through. So it gets bigger every year." 

Costanzo works as a home health nurse by day, but after hours, he morphs into the master of scares. He and his neighbors spend months designing new characters and scenes, adding more details and fright each year.

"I just enjoy the reactions of people's faces whenever they go through," he said. 

This year's display is about more than just frights. The haunted path is free, but Costanzo is asking for donations to Feeding the Spirit, a Pittsburgh-area nonprofit that provides meals to those in need. 

"SNAP is going away, so these charities and the food banks are really in need for anything and whatever we can do is appreciated," he said. 

"I thank everybody that participates and gives me a hand," he added. 

You have two more chances to check out the haunted path. It's scaring people Friday, Halloween night from 6 until 10 and Saturday, 8 to 10.