The scourge: Richmond County honors losses and fights back against opioid epidemic

ROCKINGHAM — Melissa Schoonover never had any intentions of being a drug counselor or an addiction advocate. A series of heart wrenching events – her father’s death, and losing her son, Chris Schoonover, to an overdose, has propelled her to the forefront of the fight against opioids in Richmond County.

Schoonover is the founder of Steve’s Wings, appropriately named after her father, a man she said, “would do anything to help anyone.”

On Saturday, Steve’s Wings held their third annual overdose awareness rally and vigil for friends and family who have experienced loss as a result of opioids.

“Steve’s Wings does anything to help anybody, we try not to put limitations on what we do, but we specialize in drug awareness and prevention,” Schoonover said. For her, the epidemic besieging Richmond County is personal.

Following the death of her father, Schoonover said, “I lost myself and honestly the only reason I started this was because I felt like god was pulling me to do something to help people, and I felt like it was something big, but I didn’t know what.”

She continued, “I was literally at home reading my bible, looking for a different scripture, and I heard this voice that — definitely knew what it was, telling me that I need to become a drug counselor, which is what my daddy always told me and then sure enough.”

According to Schoonover, Steve’s Wings is currently in the process of procuring 501(c)(3) non-profit status from the internal revenue service.

For Schoonover, though, the fight isn’t necessarily about money and donations. “It’s just understanding and backing it up – awareness. I’ve lost, and a lot of families in this county lost,” she said. She implores Richmond County Citizens to change their perspective on addicts and addiction. “When you see an addict on the street, don’t stick your nose up at them, they are people too,” she said.

Wrapping Melissa and the county in support, several organizations involved with addiction and treatment were in attendance.

Dr. Tammie Gainey, and her husband — county commissioner and pastor, Jason Gainey — started Sandhills Best Care six years ago. While the facility also does primary care, the Gainey’s are extremely invested in the fight against the opioid epidemic.

Come December, Dr. Gainey and Sandhills Best Care will be the only organization in Richmond County providing medication assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid dependency. While there are a litany of opinions on MAT usage, council member Gainey says that frequently, MAT is often the quickest way to get patients back to living normal lives.

Dr. Gainey said that for MAT therapy to be successful, “it needs to be coupled with peer support and therapy, because there are lifestyle changes that have to happen, you know, the medicine may help with cravings, but it doesn’t take care of everything.”

On abstinence based treatment modalities, council member Gainey said that abstinence from all substances is the ultimate goal. “We are like Jesus, if they are for us, they aren’t against us, so they are trying to solve the problem too,” he said.

Dr. Gainey said that most importantly, Richmond County needs more services. She said there is a tremendous need for intensive outpatient services that will serve the county as a sort of step down for patients leaving inpatient treatment facilities.

Also carrying the torch against opioid dependency, Heather Rodriguez, licensed agent, and owner of Rodriguez Insurance Solutions, attended the rally.

Rodriguez does a lot of advocacy work for patients with addiction issues. She wants Richmond County citizens dealing with dependency to know, “the plans that I offer, some of the Obamacare plans that have like zero dollar premiums, zero dollar deductibles, they cover opioid inpatient and outpatient treatment.” She went on to say, “It’s just about getting people insured and getting people to be able to seek treatment.”

Bruce D. Almon runs Get Clean and Recover Ministry. A recovering addict and alcoholic with 23 years of sobriety, he presides over a 12-step oriented recovery support group.

“It’s all about saving lives, trying to help people get clean and sober, like me,” Almon said. According to Almon his services are firmly rooted in the teachings of Jesus Christ, and are not just for addicts, but people with any sort of life control problems.

The Richmond County Volunteer Rescue Squad provided tutorials for the crowd on how to combat active overdose.

“It’s all about respiratory drive,” Captain Colt West said. “CPR is important but getting that respiratory drive back up is key – more breaths are needed. Typically, on overdose deaths, most patients are overdosed on opioids and that doesn’t stop the heart. The body basically forgets to breathe. What they need is oxygen,” West continued.

West and his crew illustrated a boots on the ground perspective of what it’s like fighting for overdose victims in Richmond County. “It is an epidemic, it is rampant around here,” West said.

Commissioner Jason Gainey beckoned the crowd in attendance closer with a heartfelt invocation and introduction to members of the community affected by opioids.

Standing in front of a banner depicting loved ones who lost their lives to overdose, Gainey said, “I want to step aside for a minute and I want you to take a look at the banner behind me, this is far more important than who I am or who I represent. These are our friends and loved ones and family members that have been affected by drugs.”

Gainey, alluding to those gathered to fight the opioid epidemic, cited Ecclesiastes. “One might be overtaken, two can withstand an enemy, and three or more, together, cannot be easily overthrown.”

“We might be down, but we are not out. We may be wounded, but this isn’t over, in fact this has just got us a little angry, and we want to move forward,” Gainey said in closing.

Beth Taylor runs the food pantry at the Place of Grace Campus and illustrated the realities of the epidemic running rife throughout the county.

Taylor said that between 2019 and 2021, she attended 14 funerals from overdose deaths.

“Behind they leave children, moms, dads, grandmas, grandpas, people who wanted the best for them, and I want you to understand something else too, no one wakes up and says, ‘I want to be a dope addict.’ They don’t – pain and heartache and hurt from life causes them to reach for just about anything and everything, and before they know it, they have a problem that is really hard to get rid of.”

She pleaded for compassion and understanding when dealing with addicts.

“If you see that person walking down the street, stop and offer them a bottle of water, offer them your hand and offer to pray with them, do whatever you have to do to at least plant that seed,” Taylor said. She continued, “you don’t have to know people and you don’t have to confront them – a bottle of water and a pack of crackers and a prayer may save somebody’s life.”

Chloe Jimmerson lost her mother April Britton to addiction. She heals by writing to her mother.

“There’s a bunch of different ways to grieve but I personally grieve writing notes to my mom. I send them to her old phone number,” Jimmerson said. “I miss you so much mom, you were my light in a dark room…words can’t describe how much I miss you; I can’t believe you are gone. You still had so many years to live,” she continued.

Jimmerson closed by articulating how most loved ones feel when they lose someone to addiction.

“You weren’t ready, I wasn’t ready, nobody was ready.”