By Wayne E. Rivet

Staff Writer

Daniel Valsecchi remembers as a young boy the number of times while going to the grocery store he and his father would stop to help a motorist along the side of the road.

Nine times out of 10, they had the situation under control, yet thanked Daniel and his dad for stopping.

It is a practice Daniel has continued into his adult years.

It likely saved Melissa Scammon’s life.

“I was on my way back to Bridgton. My girlfriend and my daughter live on Walker Street. We were attending a Christmas party in Freeport for her employer. We stayed overnight. There was a small issue that needed attention, and I contemplated back and forth whether I was going to come back or not. Ultimately, at 3 in the morning, I tossed and turned, and decided to go and take care of it. I’d be back before breakfast. I hopped in the shower and made the drive alone,” he said.

While driving back to Bridgton very early Saturday morning, Daniel stumbled upon a “horrific” crime. A local woman — Melissa Scammon, who was walking to work — was under attack on the side of the roadway.

“No one was on the road (it was 4:30 a.m.). In the corner of my eye, I saw something in the ditch (across the road from Hayes True Value). Maybe, I saw some feet? Maybe, someone slipped and fell, so I turned around. As I got closer to True Value, I saw a guy on top of her. I got over there. He looked up. As he was getting off of her, I jumped out, ‘What are you doing? What are you doing?’ She’s screaming, ‘He’s trying to kill me.’ I told her to get in the vehicle,” Daniel recalled.

“I don’t know you,” Melissa said.

“I’m your best friend, let’s go. We’re going to get help,” Daniel responded.

Meanwhile, the alleged assailant — identified by Bridgton Police as Jon Mitchell, 21, of Bridgton — had retreated.

“I looked up and he was looking right at me. It got really serious for me. Clearly, we need to go right now because I didn’t know if he was coming back,” Daniel said. “At that point, I don’t know what was going through my mind. People have told me it was pretty dangerous, he might have had a gun. It was all adrenaline at that point. I thought I was going to help a lady who had slipped on the snowbank. You don’t think about anything other than get this lady out of that situation.”

Daniel got Melissa in the car, pulled a U-turn, and called 9-1-1. They waited for police in the Hannaford parking lot.

“It was crazy. I never thought I would see something like that. It was utter shock,” he said. “I am sure glad I turned around.” 

Police and a county K-9 searched the woods and nearby area. The suspect was seen jogging on Portland Road, and was arrested. Mitchell has been charged with aggravated assault and robbery. He was transported to the Cumberland County Jail.

Scammon, 48, suffered a shattered cheekbone, broken nose and broken arm. She was treated at Maine Medical Center. 

“I’m heartbroken for her. From the minutes I’ve known her, and the injuries she sustained, I cannot believe how tough she is. The only thing she complained about was her eye being hurt and she couldn’t see. The brutality of the crime took me back,” Daniel said in an interview with The NewsTuesday afternoon. “She just kept telling me that I was her guardian angel.”

Word of Daniel’s Good Samaritan effort spread quickly on social media. 

“It’s a little overwhelming, very humbling. I didn’t stop for an award or any attention. I’d like to really highlight the importance of the Police Department. Not just this community but communities nationwide. When I came up on that difficult situation — the most difficult of my life to date — I knew that all I needed to do was to get her in the vehicle somehow and get a call out and the cops would be there in seconds. That speaks volumes,” he said. “People don’t appreciate that enough. I took comfort knowing I needed to only do one simple thing, and the cops would be there and my job would be done. They’re the real heroes. Melissa is a hero. She stood up for herself and fought back. Ultimately, she saved her own life. All I did was be at the right place at the right time.”

At Tuesday night’s Bridgton Selectmen’s meeting, Chief of Police Phil Jones presented Daniel with the “Lifesaving Award.” Chief Jones commended Daniel for “saving Melissa’s life with his action” and “doing the right thing.” His “bravery and compassion…saved a community member’s life,” the chief said.

“He was a hero that morning,” Chief Jones said. “Melissa Scammon is a role model for all of us.

After receiving the plaque, Daniel reached out to Melissa, who was sitting in the front row with her fiancé, Kevin Benoit. The two hugged. They then had a photograph taken with Chief Jones and Bridgton Police Department officers.

While Daniel Valsecchi appreciates all the kind words he has received, he sees his actions not as heroic, but simply the right thing to do.

“Growing up, me and my dad always checked on people, whether they needed help with a flat tire. Nine times out of 10, they didn’t need help, but you never know that one time. It took 32 years of stopping between me and my dad that the one time out of 10 some really, really needed help. I’ll continue to stop if I see someone needing help. I just pray to God that I don’t have to deal with something like that again,” he said. “I just sprung into action. I would hope that if that was my mother, cousin, wife, daughter, someone would be kind enough to help them. It’s a crazy world.”

Community responds

Area people first were shocked by the attack.

Then, they turned their attention to financially assisting Melissa Scammon, who is an Air National Guard veteran, to get back on her feet.

A GoFundMe drive reached over $21,000 at press time.

Meanwhile, another fundraising effort is looking to buy Melissa a car.

“It’s sad that in our little town, we may not be safe walking to work!” a person commented.

For her birthday, Michelle Mowatt decided to lead a charge to raise money to purchase the vehicle. “Let’s try to raise money for her to maybe purchase a vehicle so she doesn’t have to walk at 4:30 in the morning… I do not know her personally but I’ve seen her around and she’s always so friendly.”

The Lopez family along with Macdonald Motors will match money raised to purchase the vehicle, Mowatt reported on social media. As of Tuesday, that effort had raised $1,340 of the targeted $5,000. 

“Seeing the amount of money raised so far warms my heart. The community is reacting in a way that brings me to tears. The community has been phenomenal,” Daniel noted.