The Hope Chest

A childless elderly couple approaching their 50th wedding anniversary must say goodbye to their lakeside home when dealing with Mattie's ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) becomes too difficult. In a suburban home, beautiful yet lacking memories, Don and Mattie begin a new life with the assistance of a young single mother, Rose, and her adorable seven-year-old daughter, Jeri. Together they wistfully and introspectively explore one another's stories as they yearn for a better future. This nostalgic, highly sentimental tale features characters who are almost too sweet, and a setting complete with mild inclusions of spiritual guidance and old-fashioned, small-town spirit. The noted art colony and beachside tourist town of Saugatuck, MI, springs to life in this gentle story of lifelong love along with the emotional support and care that families and friends can provide. Life with the neurodegenerative disease ALS is also respectfully but vividly portrayed.