For the Love of Mel

A new film soon to be released  Now and Again

Memories like scientific matter are never extinguished but transformed into different places.

When we create memories and then are unable to retrieve them, later in life, others find them in the most delicate of places. Memories continue to live on, even when lost, longing to be revived by those who love us.   

This phenomenon is called a family! 

“I promise if one day you lose what is most valuable to you, I will search the deep corners of your world and bring it back. I will soldier on because I Love You.” 

This tale, based on a true story, has not yet been revealed. The details await us, but the premise is not new. When a person with dementia loses their memory, it is our loved ones that step up. 

I recently connected with two brothers, both filmmakers, on social media, Instagram; what linked us together was Alzheimer's. 

Alex and Koby Leff are Mel’s grandsons, and together, on a mission, they recreate this epic journey to recover lost memories stolen from their grandfather since his diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. 

Mel, along with his best friend, went on an adventure 75 years ago, as World War II was coming to an end. In re-creating their grandfather’s journey, now these two bike cross-country escapades brought together through three generations of one family, is the subject of a new film. 

Working closely with individuals and their families that deal with the pain and challenges of dementia, I know the difficulties in moving forward as the disease progresses. Over my 30-year career what I have learned is, there is no blueprint that works the same for all families in coping with the disease.  

The Leff brothers bring a unique perspective and creative effort to deal with the losses their grandfather and family experienced.   

The emotional impact of losing one's memory robs a person of their identity, who they are, and what they have achieved over their lifetime. It’s like cutting out their faces from all their family photos and changing the family structure.   

The Leff brothers’ story, about what was lost and recovered, was created For the Love ❤️ of Mel

Now a film soon to be released called “Now and Again” by Ashbourne Films. 

To learn more about the film and its creators please click here 

By Jill Modell-Dion, Creator of Aging Creative 

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