In some cases, the signs were as obvious as the wail of an approaching train. But like the train, there was no stopping it.

In other instances of suicide, there were no forewarning; no hints that anything bad was about to happen.Stories about suicides of relatives, friends and neighbors were shared during the first “Link at the Lake Awareness Walk” Sunday, held on the Switchback at Mauch Chunk Lake Park.More than 50 people took part in the event coordinated by Ann Marie Calabrese, who lost an older sister to suicide on Labor Day 1997.She said the purpose was “to share stories, special memories and most of all, help each other heal.”“I’m very appreciative of everyone who came out despite the weather,” she said. “I think it was very beneficial of the attendees to speak to other attendees about their loss, because we are all in this together.”Ann Marie’s sister, Mary Ann Calabrese Marchalk, was 35 when she died. She said the suicide wasn’t totally unexpected. Mary Ann was unsuccessful in two prior attempts.Chris Aungst of Lansford participated in memory of his son, Matthew Tyler Aungst, who was only 15 when he killed himself on Memorial Day in 2011.“He was happy that day,” Chris said of his son. “He went to the Summit Hill Stay-At-Home festival with friends. Everything seemed fine.”Aungst said he also lost a cousin, Bobby Nardini of Lansford, to suicide in 1986, and a friend, police officer David Midas, in October 2013.He said he attended the awareness walk to help provide support for anyone else experiencing such an event, and to propagate awareness.“People who go through it are the only ones who understand it,” he said.A group of about 15 people attended wearing yellow T-shirts. They all were marching in memory of Kevin Machay of Tuscarora, who died Dec. 2, 2015, at the age of 25 and James “Patty” Tee, of Summit Hill, who died Aug. 27 of this year at the age of 57.The fronts of their shirts read: “Suicide Awareness. Always remember. You are braver than you think, stronger than you seem, and loved more than you know. Your story isn’t over yet. Don’t give up.”The backs of the shirts read: “Suicide victims are not ‘weak,’ ‘selfish,’ or ‘cowards.’ They are fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, cousins, grandchildren and friends who were in pain and are missed and loved every day. Choose your words carefully and please don’t judge what you cannot understand.”Machay’s mother, Georganne, was hugged by a friend, Tammy Sienkewicz, before the walk began. One woman, who said her son died by suicide, wept.Besides providing support for each other, the participants were told of services available to them. Calabrese said targeting individuals to such available programs was part of the philosophy of “The Link.”Assisting Calabrese in coordinating The Link at the Lake Awareness Walk were Tara Stauffenberg, Amanda Hascin, Shirley Tirpak, Lisa Johnson and Linda Wagner.Courtney Uhl, program director for the Power Program, explained that the program “is a psychiatric rehabilitation program for adults.”Based in Lehighton, she said it serves Carbon and Schuylkill counties through resources for human development.Calabrese said people can like The Link on Facebook and get more information on it by calling 570-285-HOPE or emailing

TheLinkMakeTheConnection@gmail.com.The Link was formed in Carbon County in October 2015, Calabrese said.