He finally understood I wasn’t looking for information – I was looking to help him. 

— Jeff Lange

Paris interim police chief

PARIS — Patricia Plummer credits the Paris Police Department with helping her son get on the road to recovery for his heroin addiction through Project SaveME.

Two upcoming fundraisers will assist the program, aimed at helping Oxford County residents overcome drug dependence.

Plummer shared her story at a recent roundtable with U.S. Sen. Angus King, I-Maine. She said her 18-year-old niece died in September 2015 from a heroin overdose. Shortly after her death, Plummer’s 21-year-old son came to her.

“He said, ‘Mama, I’m doing heroin, too,’” Plummer recalled.

Since he admitted his drug use, he has been revived three times by Narcan, a drug that reverses opioid overdoses. Plummer wanted an officer to arrest her son and put him in jail so he would be away from the drugs.

“It’s not against the law to be high on heroin,” she said. “My son tried to detox himself. He wanted to in the worst way. He would sit home for two or three days throwing up, then he’d be gone. It’s a horrible thing to see.”

Plummer got in touch with Paris Interim Police Chief Jeff Lange, who started the Western Maine Addiction Task Force last summer to combat the growing heroin problem in the area.

From that grew Project SaveME, which is modeled after the Gloucester, Mass., Angel Program and pairs those battling addiction with “angels,” or coaches, to help them through the recovery process.

Every police agency in Oxford County is participating in Project SaveME, according to Lange, and in January, 12 recovery coaches completed training for the program.

Plummer convinced her son to come to the Police Department to speak with Lange.

“He was a little hesitant, thinking that he didn’t trust the Police Department —  maybe because of past experiences,” Lange said. “We finally got through. He finally understood I wasn’t looking for information; I was looking to help him. He cooperated and we got him some help.”

Plummer’s son was paired with a recovery coach, who talked him out of relapsing recently, she said. His coach drove from the Farmington area to Oxford Hills at 11 p.m. to help him cope with his crisis.

Plummer said parents and family can tell those battling addiction how much they love them, but the angels are making a difference.

“More of this kind of thing would be great,” she said.

Through Project SaveME, her son was sent to Milestone Foundation in Portland. He told Plummer the recovery center is similar to a homeless shelter.

“There’s people in there who look like zombies,” she said. “He said, ‘Mom, I don’t want to be a zombie. It’s not fun anymore,’” she said.

“I can’t give the Paris Police Department enough accolades,” Plummer said.

Project SaveME has helped 10 people, including Plummer’s son and a woman who called from the emergency room at Stephens Memorial Hospital recently.

Lange responded personally and said he was able to pair her with an angel and put her in touch with a facility in New Hampshire. She fortunately had health insurance.

“If they have insurance, then obviously more doors are open,” Lange said. “They’re able to get into a facility a lot faster, obviously, than someone who doesn’t. And there’s no beds available in Maine. It’s the lack of resources.”

For more information about the Western Maine Addiction Task Force or Project SaveME, contact the Paris Police Department at 743-7448.

 [email protected]

Project SaveME fundraisers

* Thursday, April 21, 5 to 7 p.m., Daddy O’s Restaurant, 1570 Main St., Oxford. The meal is free, but donations are requested.

* Sunday, May 1, 7 to 11 a.m., Paris Fire Station, 137 Western Ave., Paris. Guns and Hoses pancake breakfast by the Paris Police and Fire departments. Pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, juice and coffee for $7; free for ages 5 and younger. Proceeds will be split between Project SaveME and the Fire Prevention Program.