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Gold Star Mothers walk to remember the veterans lost to suicide every day.Gold Star Mothers walk to remember the veterans lost to suicide every day PAW PAW, Mich.— Losing a family member to suicide is an unimaginable tragedy, and one all too common for loved ones of veterans.According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, more than 17 service members take their own lives each day.Gold Star Mothers are parents of veterans who have died in active duty, including those lost to suicide.On Sunday, the Western Michigan chapter wanted to tell the stories behind the statistics with a walk-a-thon in Paw Paw.Keri Stark came to the Military Suicide Awareness Walk-a-thon to support her mother.She lost her brother, a National Guard military policeman, after he served for more than 10 years.Stark says he was engaged to be married and had just bought a house, but he couldn’t access the help he needed."My brother was still active, and there were signs, and nobody really jumped in," she said.She hopes the world can better understand the despair felt by Armed Forces members, a goal shared by the Gold Star Mothers of Western Michigan with their fourth walk.Carrying a banner with the names of their loved ones, walkers asked onlookers simply to be there for the veterans in their lives."I've known one that that needed groceries because the depression was so bad, they couldn't get out and get to a grocery store," Gold Star Mothers Western Michigan chapter president Laura De Roo said.This year some of the money they raise will go to Working Dogs for Vets, an Indiana group providing service animals for the military, which can sometimes cost tens of thousands of dollars.Local Gold Star Mothers president Laura De Roo says just the presence of a companion dramatically lowers the risk of self harm."The emotional connection for one.But having the needs met, doing things that they can't personally do for themselves is a great way to make them connect with the animal and to stay connected and grounded here," she said.- Van Buren County: 25 years after disbandment, South Haven lifeguards are back and getting ready for day one While the number of veterans lost to suicide is declining and military resources are improving, she says there are still barriers to overcome.She’d like to see mental health appointments legislated better through Veterans Affairs, as well as solutions for veteran homelessness.But most of all, she hopes the walk will inspire everyone to let someone else know that they care."When you're a mom of a suicide, you've got an added burden because you're carrying the why that you can never answer," she said.Half of the funds from the walk-a-thon will go toward a Gold Star family memorial at the Maple City Veterans Memorial Park.It's set to be installed in November.