BY KATHY CHANG
Staff Writer
EDISON — Consumed by shock, guilt, and grief that came with losing her 21-year-old niece in 2010, Debbie Savigliano turned her tragedy and what transpired after into a 40-minute documentary film.
The documentary entitled “From Grief to Gratitude” premieres on June 4 at The Estate at Monroe in Williamstown, which is located in Gloucester County.
“When my niece, Bianca Yodice, was killed in Edison, she was only 21,” she said.
Yodice lived in Edison and was an assistant teacher at Little Genius Academy on Vineyard Road.
The young woman was crossing Route 1 in the early morning hours on Aug. 24, 2010 when she was fatally struck by a car. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Savigliano, of South Jersey, said it was never her plan to put together a documentary.
“The shock, guilt and grief were overwhelming, it consumed me for a very long time,” she said. “It was at Bianca’s wake that I received an indescribable message.”
Savigliano said it was a “whisper in her ear” from her mind telling her to start a non-profit organization.
“Knowing zero about the nonprofit world, I initially shrugged it off as immense grief talking,” she said. “But, as fate would have it and due to Bianca’s passion for needy children, I did in fact start that nonprofit in her memory a few months later.”
Bianca’s Kids is a non-profit organization that grants wishes to struggling children, whether from physical, emotional or financial issues.
To date, Savigliano said they have made dreams come true for approximately 13,000 children in New Jersey and around the country.
“It is the greatest decision I ever made,” she said. “Establishing Bianca’s Kids taught me a great life lesson … there is so much healing in helping others. It’s what got me through my grief. It is what sustains me.”
Along her journey, Savigliano wanted to share her message with others.
“I wrote a memoir and published it on Amazon in 2015,” she said. “It’s a quick read and talks about the stages of grief and how I found light at the end of a very dark tunnel. Unbelievably, last winter an award winning indie filmmaker out of Alabama read my book and wanted to turn it into a documentary.”
James O’Brien of Fast Lane Productions in Birmingham, Alabama, flew out to New Jersey several months ago with co-producer Michele Lamelza and their crew and shot the film in various locations in northern, central and southern parts of the Garden State.
“When I read Debbie’s book, I was deeply moved by how much her message of finding a purpose and gratitude from such unspeakable grief spoke to me,” O’Brien said. “I realized how many people could benefit from that message. Good people who find ways to help others is what our world needs more of and I hope to deliver that message through the documentary.”
The documentary is a raw look into the stages of grief and how Savigliano channeled those emotions to establish a children’s nonprofit, which helps her cope with her loss.
Savigliano said the film is powerful and inspiring.
“I’m so proud of this project and its message,” she said.
Savigliano said although it was not easy to revisit the painful memories associated with her niece’s death during the filming process of the movie, the reason she allowed her story to be told on film was to help grief stricken individuals know that they can find joy again and to bring awareness to Bianca’s Kids.
For more information visit www.BiancasKids.org.