Halloween isn’t usually known as the season of giving. It is a time for ghost stories, candy corn, costumes and trick-or-treating.

One Ashland, Ky. resident has, however, found a way to use this spooky time of year to help some people struggling after a devastating tragedy.

David King’s niece, Ashley Lyon and her mother, Veronica Hackney, as well as one of his friends, Steve Tackett, are lucky to be alive after they escaped a house fire that killed five others in Pedro on Oct. 4.

That fire is the deadliest in Ohio this year.

King, who was already organizing a haunted house, decided to use his profits to help those affected by the fire. King said that 50 percent of the profits would go toward the fire victims.

“I just decided,” he said, “since that’s a little more important me. I’ve got a house, clothes on my back. They’re just without until they can get back on their feet.”

King has been spreading the word about his “Trail of Fears” haunted house by word-of-mouth and with fliers. He said his boss at Zanzis Pizza allowed him to print his fliers for free.

Steve Tackett said he was one of the last to escape the fire. His girlfriend did not make it out. Tackett is helping by playing a part in the haunted house.

“At least, I owe them that much,” he said, still very much affected by the fire.

Concerned about her dad, Tackett’s daughter, Cheyanne said, “He hardly has gotten any sleep.”

Cheyanne is also participating in the haunted house.

Ed Williams, another monster in the Trail of Fears said of Tackett, “Something was shinning down on him that night.”

The Trail of Fears is a guided tour through a series of terrifying rooms filled with some equally terrifying monsters from Leatherface to Jason Voorhees.

“You can expect to scream,” said King. “You will be cornered by a few critters.”

Joel Vickers, who helped to build the Trail of Fears, even added a sawmill that must be crawled through in order to reach the next spooky room.

The Trail of Fears is located at 3238 State Route 5 in Ashland, Ky.

Hours for this Friday and Saturday are 6-11 p.m. or until the last group arrives. They will also be open Oct. 19-23, 26-30 and Halloween night. Weekday hours are 6-10 p.m. Admission is $5.