Marc Carazo was a gifted artist and musician who struggled with depression. On Sept. 3, 2018, he took his own life.

Carazo’s friend and fellow musician, Eric Strohl, decided to do what he could to honor his friend and help others who might be dealing with the same demons. He came up with the idea of holding a memorial benefit to raise funds for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

“If we can help one person out of the darkness, and help one person get through, it’s well worth it,” Strohl said.

The fundraiser, held at the Sokol Club in Palmerton on Saturday, featured a basket raffle, food, a bake sale, and entertainment by “Rikki and Friends” and “Suddenly Found.”

Last year the group raised more than $9,200. They hope to raise a lot this year, too.

“We’re giving some money to the Palmerton High School Aevidum group,” Frank Carazo, Marc’s father, said.

Aevidum is a nationwide organization founded to give teens help in dealing with depression, suicide, and other issues.

“We’re also giving some to the Carbon Creative Arts League,” Frank Carazo said. “Marc was an artist. Each year we give a $1,000 scholarship to a student graduating from Palmerton who is going on to college to study art.”

“Mark was my best friend and my band mate for many years,” Strohl said. “It’s a labor of love. I miss Marc every day. The first thing I see in my house when I go in are two 8x10’s of Marc and his guitar.”

Are you in a crisis? Call or text 988 or text TALK to 741741. 988 was designated by Congress in 2020 as an emergency number to call for suicide and crisis help.

To learn more about the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, visit them online at afsp.org.