A 12-year-old Michigan boy is working odd jobs to raise money for a special Christmas gift: a gravestone for his best friend.

Kaleb Klakulak and Kenneth 'K.J.' Gross, both 12, had been friends since second grade before K.J. died in May of congestive heart failure after years of chemotherapy to fight leukemia, The Detroit News reported.

K.J. was buried in a family plot at Detroit's Elmwood Cemetery. But K.J.'s mom couldn't afford a grave marker, so Kaleb has been raking leaves, collecting bottles and soliciting PayPal donations on social media to help raise $2,500.

The 12-year-old says he hopes to give the headstone to Singleton as a Christmas present.

Kaleb Klakulak, 12 (pictured), is doing odd jobs and collecting pop bottles to raise money for a headstone for his friend K.J. Gross, who died at age 12

Sometimes he and Kaleb, pals since second grade, watched TV and played video games in a hospital room instead of at home - but they were together til the end

He's raised $900 so far and given the money to K.J.'s mother, LaSondra 'San' Singleton.

'I love Ms. San,' Kaleb said. 'I was sad she couldn't afford it. I wanted people to be able to find (K.J.'s grave) when they went to see him.'

Kaleb's mom, Kristy Hall, helped him get started with the fundraising effort.

'If you have bottles or odd jobs that Kaleb can do to earn money he would greatly appreciate that. I really think this is a great thing for Kaleb to focus on and help him with his healing as well as K.J.'s mom, who misses her baby and has to visit an unmarked grave,' Hall wrote in a Facebook post about Kaleb's goal.

Kaleb Klakulak rakes leaves in Rochester Hills, Mich., as he raises money for a headstone for his best friend Kenneth 'K.J.' Gross, who died of cancer last year

Kaleb wears a dog tag, in memory of his best friend Kenneth 'K.J.' Singleton, The 12-year-old Michigan boy is working odd jobs to raise money for a gravestone for Singleton

Singleton said she's overwhelmed by Kaleb's actions and love for her son, even after his death. She said the boys 'were kindred spirits; they were like brothers.'

'It just speaks volumes to the type of people that they are, and it speaks to the type of person that K.J. was - he impacted people to where they want to do this for him,' Singleton said.

Donations, deposit bottles and job offers came in, and Kaleb's mom says he's about halfway to his goal of $2,500.

If you wish to donate to Kaleb's cause - you can click here to contribute.