CINCINNATI (WKRC) – After a couple lost their son to epilepsy in 2022, they decided to turn their grief into good.

Jill and Dave Heltman held their second annual fundraiser Sunday to benefit their nonprofit organization. Axel Foundation, named in honor of their son. Their organization raises funds to help provide service dogs to children with special needs. The chili cook-off included live music, raffles and an auction.

“All we can do is try to make a terrible thing a good thing for others, and if we can give a child a dog, that will get that help to children and our boy didn’t have could get it in the middle of the night, so it’s worth it,” Dave said.

Tickets for the event were $23 for adults and $11 for children in honor of Axl’s birthday on November 23.