AYes, the movie is based on the nonfiction book Amish Grace: How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy (2007) by Donal Kraybill, Steven Nolt, and David L. Weaver-Zercher. The book was adapted for this made-for-TV movie by Sylvie White and Teena Booth.
AOn the morning that Ida intends to move to Philadelphia, she agrees to attend a grief counseling meeting at the firehouse. Amy Roberts is also there and expresses her anger at her husband Charlie for what he did to the Amish girls as well as to her and her family. Ida is somewhat taken aback to find that Amy has the same feelings that she has and runs from the room. While she is pondering whether or not to go to Philadelphia, Rachel (Amy Sloan) is driven up. Her daughter Rebecca (Darcy Rose Byrnes) has regained consciousness and is asking to speak with Ida and Gideon (Matt Letscher). Rebecca relates to them what happened inside the schoolhouse and how Mary Beth offered to pray for Charlie, even though she knew he was going to shoot them. Ida's heart softens and, later, she collapses in Gideon's arms and asks him to take her home. The next day, the entire Amish community shows up at the cemetery to pay their respects at Charlie's burial. When Amy is surprised to see Ida, Ida explains that, before she died, Mary Beth had forgiveness in her heart. "I can do no less," says Ida. Six months later, Amy and her children attend the opening of the New Hope schoolhouse, built to replace the old one. In the final scene, Amy and Ida hold hands as the Amish children enter the school. In the final scene, a postscript appears: 'Of the five girls who survived the shooting with serious injuries, four were well enough to attend New Hope Amish School the day it opened.'
