. >> reporter: 30-year-old christopher hager's parents told us their son battled heroin addiction on and off for nine years. last year, he died of a methadone overdose. >> it feels like somebody punches you in the stomach and knocks the wind out of you. >> you cannot prepare for it. >> reporter: turns out they lived across the street from guy vigna. >> she is an amazing woman. i started walking with her. my son actually walked many times. he hated the stigma of heroin. he was ashamed and embarrassed about it. >> reporter: the day ends with a lot of fanfare. a news conference announcing a major drug bust. the total amount of heroin was 3,426 grams. >> reporter: more than 50 supposed dealers taken off the streets. authorities hope this will be a model for other communities across the country. it seems like you didn't bust a heroin ring, didn't take kingpins off the street, didn't you round up a bunch of junkies here. >> we certainly dentidn't do as much as we could do. there is more. >> reporter: does it make a dent in the problem? >> we can only do what we can do and try to aggressive