Tanya Odenbreit says two-year-old Ethan is a mischievous toddler, but she says she never thought he would take it to the next level.

"And even though he never had an interest in it before that one day, he decided to climb up there, and it doesn't take long," she recalls.

Life changed instantly for Ethan and his family, when he wandered into the family pool on July 28 and nearly drowned.

"They told us to expect him not to make it," she remembers as her eyes fill with tears.

Ethan was taken to Children's Hospital in St. Paul, and finally returned home to Cameron on September 5.

Though he's breathing on his own, he's still in a coma that doctors say he'll never come out of. Still, his family says Ethan's made some progress and they’re not giving up.

"He's my baby and I need to take care of him," says Tanya.

Tanya quit her job to stay home with Ethan. Though the family has insurance, taking care of him is costing a lot of money.

"With me not working, all we have is seven people in our house on my husband's income," she says.

So family friend JoAnn Anderson stepped up and organized a fundraiser. And even though the family could use the money, Sunday's event was more like moral support for the Odenbreits.

"Maybe relieve the stress and the tension, it doesn't really matter the dollar amount. It really doesn't," says Anderson.

So far the community has raised more than one thousand dollars for the family, through cash donations and donation jars around Barron County.

If you'd like to help the Odenbreit family, an account is set up at the Westconsin Credit Union in Barron. You can make the check out to WCU Ethan Odenbreit benefit, and in the memo line, mark it care of Tanya.