These boots represent an 85-year-old man and were one of 28 pairs of shoes that the Butler County Suicide Coalition displayed at Diamond Park Wednesday evening in remembrance of those who died by suicide in Butler County in 2017.

About 40 people gathered in Butler's Diamond Park Wednesday afternoon to remember the 28 Butler County residents who died by suicide in 2017 — and to form bonds to prevent others from taking their own lives.

Members of the Butler County Suicide Coalition, which organized the event, placed pairs of shoes in a circle around the park's fountain. Each one was labeled with an age — the age of a suicide victim. The coalition, which receives county grant money to combat suicide locally, has held the vigil for the last six years, and this year's event had the highest death count of the six.

Coalition members, like the event's main organizer Jenna Rhodaberger, wore T-shirts printed with the words “My story isn't over.”

“Suicide is not just a national epidemic,” Rhodaberger said. “It's a local epidemic.”

Rhodaberger spoke, as did some with personal experiences with suicidal loved ones. Some government officials, including Butler Mayor Ben Smith and county Commissioners Leslie Osche and Kim Geyer, were present.

Pete Albert, a Veterans Affairs suicide prevention coordinator, shared statistics from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the country, he said, and 44,965 Americans die by suicide every year. On average, there are 123 suicides a day, he said.

“I think people just don't know what to do,” Albert said. “They don't know how to ask their loved ones if they've been thinking about killing themselves.”

He mentioned the VA's Coaching into Care program, which connects callers to advice-givers who can help people talk to veterans who they believe might be dealing with suicidal thoughts. The service is free and is available at 888-823-7458. The veterans crisis line, for more pressing situations, is 800-273-8255.

Kathryn Cotter of Butler led the group in a song so that those present who didn't want to share a story, she said, could still have a means to vocally participate.

Her husband is a veteran, she said, who has known those affected by suicide.

“We know this is real,” Cotter said. “There's a need for this.”

The shoes belong to members of the coalition. They bring them out each year to illustrate the number of local victims.

“Tara Hamilton, a coalition member who works for Butler County Human Services, said organizers put on the event to make people realize that suicide “is something that's happening at home, not just in Hollywood.”

The shoes are a means to bring it all home.

“I think the visual is more impactful for people,” Hamilton said. “We want to make a lasting impact.”

Pennsylvanians struggling with hardships, ranging from job loss to hunger, can dial 2-1-1 to reach a 24/7 United Way hotline for human services.