Drug court saves a life

By Terry Murry on Monday, March 29th, 2021 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories

PENDLETON – Zach Williams is clean and sober. The graduate of Umatilla County’s drug court is sharing his story so other addicts can find help. He said when he first agreed to go to drug court he was homeless and eating out of garbage cans.

He said you don’t have to be perfect to benefit from drug court as long as you’re honest. After about 45 days in the program he went on the run. That ended with an overdose.

“It was like an ‘aha’ moment,” he said. “I found the will and the courage to give it my absolute, 100 percent best shot, and so that’s what I did.”

There are 13 people in drug court right now, and Williams said it’s like a family.

“It gave me the tools to find the will and the courage to try and fail and try and fail until I succeeded,” he said. “It saved my life.”

Williams returns to drug court every Monday to lead a class.