Erika and Shawna Hettick recall their cousin Jaxon as a superhero.

The sisters from Gig Harbor would visit Jaxon at his house in south Kitsap County to have fun. They would play games, watch movies and laugh uncontrollably when he’d dress up as Spider-Man or the Blue Power Ranger.

He was full of energy. He was a regular kid.

But after awhile, Jaxon couldn’t swing from buildings or fight monsters the way he once did, a result of subacute sclerosing panencephaliti. The rare and chronic neurological disorder is caused by the measles virus. It results in death for most children who have it, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Last October, Jaxon, the son of Paula and Oscar Abalahin, died at only 8 years old.

It was hard on Erika, 12, and Shawna, 10, who both attend Minter Creek Elementary on the Key Peninsula.

“When Jaxon died, it was hard to forget about him,” Shawna said. “It would be hard to forget about him because he was a big part of my life. I was really hoping to find a cure before he died.”

So they tried coping the only way they could.

Erika and Shawna, along with their mother, Jaxon’s parents and others with the Jaxon’s Cure group, have organized a pair of concerts to benefit SSPE research. They are scheduled for this weekend at Chapel Hill Presbyterian Church in Gig Harbor.

The concert will feature Grammy-nominated Christian group Sonicflood, whose front man personally agreed to play in Gig Harbor, a community that doesn’t typically host national bands.

Lead singer Rick Heil said he understands the pain and frustration a condition such as SSPE can create. When he was 11, he was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease.

Earlier this year, Heil said he received a phone call from Elaine Hettick, the mother of Erika and Shawna. She told him about their effort and asked his band to headline.

“We want to be part of changing the world. There’s so much need to,” Heil, 42, said in a telephone interview Friday. “For us to say no, I believe, it’d be a sin. God wants us to do what we can, when we can.”

Those fighting for Jaxon’s cause are ecstatic, particularly Erika and Shawna. They’ve spent the last three months speaking to youth groups and churches, promoting the concert and their cause.

Elaine Hettick said she was thinking about a concert benefit when Jaxon was still alive. After he died, the family realized the importance of going forward. Their goal is to raise $70,000 for SSPE research.

Erika said she’s more dedicated to helping than ever.

“He was very special to us,” she said. “We want to remember the good times.”

Brent Champaco: 253-597-8653

brent.champaco@thenewstribune.com What: Sonicflood concert to benefit SSPE research

When: 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

Where: Chapel Hill Presbyterian Church, 7700 Skansie Ave., Gig Harbor

Cost: $35

More: Call 253-232-2083 or go online to www.jaxonscure.org.