Recovering addict and human trafficking survivor calls northern OPP officer her 'hero'

Three years ago, during a moment of suffering from post-traumatic stress, Dre crashed her car into some trees on Municipal Road between Timmins and Iroquois Falls.

The responding officer, Const. Graham MacGregor didn’t just ticket her. Upon learning more about her past, he connected her with services.

It made all the difference in the world.

"I’m a grateful, recovering addict and a trafficking survivor,” Dre said.

“The help I received was weeks away of being unattainable. If it wasn’t for an advocate, I would be another statistic.”

“When all other efforts in trying to help Dre didn’t seem to work at that point, officer MacGregor was her lifeline," said her father, Donald.

For all his support in the days, weeks and months after Dre's collision, she called MacGregor her hero and nominated him for an award.

"You made a difference, and now she’s making a difference," said Mark Baxter, president of the Police Association of Ontario.

“Her resiliency is something to be admired," said MacGregor.

Dre said she is sacrificing her anonymity and going public because she wants others not to feel ashamed to ask for help.

“My goal is that nobody feels alone in this journey,” she said.

“I want to give people hope. I want people to find their way of finding their way out and every recovery is different."

John Cerasuolo, president of Ontario Provincial Police Association, said it's important for people like Dre to speak up about the good things that happen during their encounters with police, to help change the negative narrative that often surrounds police.

It's why the Police Association of Ontario hosted the award ceremony at the South Porcupine Detachment. Congratulatory words also came in from the provincial government and the mayor of Timmins.

MacGregor said meeting Dre has also changed him.

"On a more regular basis, I find myself taking time to be kind to people outside of work, as well, not just because it’s part of my job but just because in society, I think we need to be a little bit kinder to each other,” he said.

MacGregor is the winner of the 2022 'On-Duty Difference Maker' Award, not to mention, the winner of Dre's and her family's everlasting gratitude.