Help Fund Amanda's Next Film: The Dove

My mother died when I was 12 years old, and she returned to me as a dove. A little less than two weeks after she passed, which was about 3 weeks into seventh grade, a dove landed on the balcony at my house, one of the same doves we released at her funeral about a week prior.

My name is Amanda Ryan D’Ambrosio. I’m an emerging screenwriter and film director, and I wrote a short script about how my mother spoke to me from beyond the grave to tell me that she’s safe and finally at peace. I need help to make this short film happen.

My brother, dad, and I each released a dove at my mom's funeral. We watched them fly away, and we thought that was it. But maybe a week later, while my grandpa was on our living room balcony assembling an engraved bench gifted to us in memory of my mom, a dove landed on the balcony. My whole family could feel that it was DeAnn checking in on us, telling us that she’s okay.

Now, I wasn’t healed from the grief I was facing just like that. But my mom’s visit let me know she will always be with me, even if not in person or dove form. She still leaves me little signs today, and even though they make the pain feel fresh, I’m grateful for them because I know she’s still here.

While I had always thought my story was singular, I have found that many have gone through similar occurrences, whether through animals or some other sign. Pop star icon P!nk mentioned in her 2023 appearance on the Howard Stern Show that her dad returned to her as a hawk after he passed. My friend unfortunately lost his mother recently, and he told me that she had a smile on her face as she passed on to the other side. Our loved ones are still with us, giving us signs and comfort surrounding their loss. This is why my story, which is so many other’s stories as well, must be told.

My script, aptly named “The Dove,” re-tells this event, underscoring how grief and loss affect every relationship in a person’s life. My vision is to show the whirlwind and chaos of life immediately following a loved one's death, juxtaposed with the incredible loneliness and isolation after the funeral, reception, and visiting family leaves. “The Dove” delves into the relationship between father and daughter and how this relationship strains and adapts without the presence of the person they both love.

Ultimately, I feel my mother through my writing, and this film represents the ultimate love letter to thank my mother for the 12 years I had the honor to spend with her. Producing this script would mean the same thing to all those who have lost someone they love.