In yesterday’s paper, our editorial team was moved by the story of Shelly Tropp, who lost her son, Army Specialist Cody Sisk, to suicide in 2015.

Now, Tropp is organizing an event to help break the stigma behind this difficult topic and assist other families in getting help.

The Western Michigan Gold Star Mothers, a nonprofit organization made up of mothers whose children died serving their country while on active duty, will host a Walk-a-Thon at 1 p.m. Sunday, May 19. The 2.2-mile walk, which will start at the Veteran’s Memorial in Riverfront Park, seeks to symbolize the roughly 22 active duty service members and veterans who commit suicide daily.

During the event, donations will be collected to support Working Dogs for Vets. The nonprofit organization helps veterans to train their own dog to be a service animal or connects them with a service dog.

Research indicates that service dogs can greatly benefit veterans suffering from PTSD by lowering their stress levels and giving them a sense of comfort. Some service dogs have even been specially trained to respond to PTSD attacks.

At the Niles Daily Star, we believe the efforts of Tropp and other Gold Star Mothers are noble. We appreciate the work they are doing to help care for our veterans — those who have given so much of themselves to keep us safe.

We would encourage anyone who is able to participate in the Walk-a-Thon next month to help provide our veterans with a companion that can help them. Who knows? By contributing, you might even save a life.

Opinions expressed are those of general manager Ambrosia Neldon, managing editor Sarah Culton, sports editor Scott Novak and reporter Adam Droscha.