Sonya had dreams of becoming a flight attendant, wrote poetry and was a good cook, according to her family.
“I always try to think about different aspects of her nature, her kindness … she was probably the most loveliest sister that I have, that I had,” said Cywink.
“She was just, deeply caring about other people. She was a giver … I didn’t always realize how creative she was in her life.”
The two sisters grew up close, with Meggie Cywink only 15 months older. As young adults, they left home for Toronto, but life started to unravel for Sonya. She struggled for years with a drug and alcohol addiction.
In 1991, she agreed to enter a treatment program in London, Ont., and soon after began her life in the new city.
“She was very good at … camouflaging … her life,” said Cywink. “I think she didn’t want us to know how much she was struggling.”
There were other parts of Sonya’s life that she kept private from her family and friends, including her involvement with sex work.
“She never said this was a customer or client or whatever. She never let any of her friends or anything in her personal life and business be together, so we never knew,” said her friend, Richard Orford, who now lives on Manitoulin Island.
