The message came through the eighth annual Suicide Prevention Walk in Houghton, put on by the Copper Shores Community Health Foundation in connection with the Houghton Keweenaw Suicide Prevention Coalition.

Michelle Morgan, who was part of the planning committee for the walk, carried a sign saying “Please stay … we need you.”

Morgan is also a member of Keweenaw Support 4 Healthy Minds. The local group works to talk openly about mental health, supports people who are struggling, and teaches classes on how to talk to people in crisis.

“One of the things that will help most to somebody who’s suicidal is to have a connection with someone who cares about them and does not judge them,” she said. “That’s one of the most important factors in reducing suicide, is for people to understand that they’re not alone. And they’re not ashamed.”

Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Rachel Morohn, Jaime Gariepy and Jenn Miner of BHK Child Development blow bubbles at the conclusion of Saturday’s Suicide Prevention Walk in Houghton.

Saturday’s keynote speaker before the walk, Copper Shores Outreach & Education youth development specialist Callisto Cortez, spoke from her own experience.

Suicide had affected her life since before she was born. Her grandfather died by suicide when her father was nine. With no one to help him through the loss and give him support, he struggled.

She remembered being 16 and hearing from her stepmother that her dad was in recovery after an attempt on his life. She realized she knew the pain he felt, one she hadn’t been able to voice to anyone.

“The only time I could remember trying to explain what it was I was experiencing, I was met with the words ‘It’s all in your head,'” she said. “That stuck with me for many years. It became the reason I avoided talking about my feelings in-depth. Sadness was safe to express, but not suicide – that wasn’t safe. I suffered in silence for what seemed like a long time.”

In 2019, Cortez’s mother lost her fiancé to suicide. Talking about it with her mother also allowed her to open up and discuss her own feelings.

Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Dezz Cortez holds a sign of encouragement during Saturday’s Suicide Prevention Walk in Houghton.

Telling people she was contemplating suicide became less scary, she said. And by letting people know she wasn’t OK, she allowed people to care for her, look out for her and keep her alive.

After years of carrying the weight herself, she was “finally treading instead of being under.”

Therapy helped her learn how to cope. And after 10 years, she’s finally completing her bachelor’s degree from Michigan Technological University this spring.

There should be more spaces where people feel comfortable sharing their thoughts, Cortez said. She also called for more initiatives to support mental health awareness in schools, workplaces and the communities, and policies to support mental wellness.

All this can create a culture “where it is not only okay to ask for help, but where asking for help is seen as a brave act of strength,” Cortez said.

Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Michelle Morgan of Keweenaw Support 4 Healthy Minds holds a sign for passing drivers during Saturday’s Suicide Prevention Walk in Houghton.

“If you are struggling, you are not alone,” she said. “You can reach out and know that you are worthy of love, support and life. Without finally reaching out and receiving the help I desperately needed, I wouldn’t have the loving family I spend every day of my life being grateful for — a family that makes me look forward to the days that lie ahead of me, because I get to share it with them.”

Cortez’ mother, Dezz Cortez, who had been standing close by watching the speech, tearfully embraced Callisto when it was finished.

Afterward, Dezz said Saturday’s event helped inform people and bring awareness to the cause.

“We can share our grief, and we’re not alone,” she said. “The community part made it easier to deal with.”

The event also included games and activities for kids, and booths from local organizations providing suicide prevention resources, including Upper Great Lakes Family Health Clinic and Michigan Technological University’s Student Health and Well-Being Center.

Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette People, many holding signs of encouragement or honoring loved ones, walk down Lakeshore Drive during Saturday’s Suicide Prevention Walk in Houghton.

Paper hearts were laid out at one table where people could inscribe supportive messages.

“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery” came from Brandon Mukavetz of Hancock. He showed up to support a friend who had recently lost someone in his life.

He found Saturday’s walk empowering.

“I think it’s very important for everyone to realize that people are struggling through things that they don’t tell anyone, and that they should not judge things based off the first instinct or first thought, and talk to them and realize what’s truly going on,” Mukavetz said.

After the walk, the crowd came back to Kestner, where a machine in the middle of the grass sent bubbles floating around the park. People also blew their own bubbles with individual bottles and a wand.

Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette People, many holding signs of encouragement or honoring loved ones, walk down Lakeshore Drive during Saturday’s Suicide Prevention Walk in Houghton.

Rachelle Marohn, Jaime Gariepy and Jenn Miner of BHK Child Development sent long streams of bubbles to the sky in near-unison.

At BHK, they offer a social-emotional curriculum, Conscious Discipline, with the children, and also offer parents’ nights. Through that, the parents can learn tools to connect with their children and support them in self-regulation. The BHK support staff also helps link families to other resources they need that can support good mental health, including many of the agencies represented at the park Saturday.

“Parents are their kids’ first and lifelong learners and teachers, and they’re always going to be there,” Miner said. “So we want those parents to be as healthy as possible.”

Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette A crowd of about 100 people sets off during Saturday’s Suicide Prevention Walk in Houghton.

Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette People, many holding signs of encouragement or honoring loved ones, walk down Lakeshore Drive during Saturday’s Suicide Prevention Walk in Houghton.

Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette People, many holding signs of encouragement or honoring loved ones, walk down Lakeshore Drive during Saturday’s Suicide Prevention Walk in Houghton.

Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette A crowd of about 100 leaves the Kestner Waterfront Park for Saturday’s Suicide Prevention Walk in Houghton.

Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Brandon Mukavetz of Hancock writes a message of support before Saturday’s Suicide Prevention Walk in Houghton.

Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Callisto Cortez speaks before Saturday’s Suicide Prevention Walk in Houghton.

Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Bernadette Yeoman-Ouellette of Copper Shores Community Health Foundation speaks with people during Saturday’s Suicide Prevention Walk in Houghton.

Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette A crowd of about 100 people sets off during Saturday’s Suicide Prevention Walk in Houghton.