The powerful story of Sonya — from heartbreak and hospital beds to becoming an award-winning author, model, and voice for resilience.
What do you do when the person you love the most destroys you?
For Sonya the answer became clear: you write your truth, rebuild your life, and rise stronger than ever.
Her upcoming memoir, Fairytale to Nightmare: A Story of Love, Loss, and Resilience, is more than just a book — it’s a survival story. It’s a raw, emotional, and inspiring journey through betrayal, heartbreak, and the power of self-love. And it’s quickly becoming one of the most talked-about new books in women’s empowerment and healing.
From Knob Noster to Germany, Then LA: A Life in Motion
Sonya journey began in Knob Noster, Missouri, and took her across the world — first to Bitburg, Germany, and eventually to Los Angeles, California, where she found her passion as a fitness instructor and personal trainer in the health club boom of the 1990s.
Confident, independent, and driven, Sonya was always chasing new dreams. But nothing could prepare her for what life had in store after the pandemic hit.
When Love Turned Into a Nightmare
Sonya met Michael during a vulnerable time in her life. He was younger, charming, and claimed he wanted a future with her. She opened her heart completely, letting him move into her home, trusting him with everything — emotionally and financially.
What started as a fairytale quickly became a nightmare.
Michael betrayed her, cheated on her, and left without even facing her. Instead of speaking to her like a man, he asked her to leave his belongings on the patio — a final act of cowardice. Sonya found out about the affair on social media, where Michael proudly flaunted his new relationship with a woman named Aubree — after previously telling Sonya he didn’t want children.
“He was the biggest mistake of my life,” Sonya admits. “But also the moment that changed everything.”
In the Hospital, At Rock Bottom — But Not Broken
Heartbroken and emotionally shattered, Sonya ended up in the hospital. She was sick, unemployed, and trying to hold herself together — while her world was falling apart.
She didn’t just lose a relationship. She lost her job, her sense of safety, her confidence.
But instead of staying down, Sonya started writing.
A Children’s Book, a Memoir, and a New Life
She began by writing a children’s book about her beloved dog, something Michael had once encouraged. That spark of creativity became an award-winning book, and it gave her something even more valuable — purpose.
Then she began writing Fairytale to Nightmare — a raw and emotionally honest memoir that tells the full story of how she survived love, loss, betrayal, and came back stronger, wiser, and more beautiful than ever.
“This book is for every woman who’s ever been betrayed,” Sonya says. “For every person who thought they wouldn’t survive — you will. And you’ll come out the other side like a butterfly.”
From Betrayed to Beautiful: Becoming a Model at Any Age
As she healed, Sonya took another brave step. She walked into a Pasadena photo studio, where professional makeup artists and photographers helped her see herself in a new light.
“I had never felt more beautiful in my life,” she says.
That photo shoot led her to submit modeling photos, and today, Sonya is proudly signed with D2 Models as a mature model — proving that beauty and power have no expiration date.
From ADHD and Dyslexia to Award-Winning Author
Sonya has never hidden the fact that she struggles with ADHD, dyslexia, and RSD (Rejection sensitivity disorder) — but instead of letting these challenges define her, she’s used them to fuel her creativity.
Despite her diagnosis, she wrote a children’s book that won awards, and is now preparing to release Fairytale to Nightmare, a book that’s already generating excitement — even getting a nod of approval from J.Lo herself.
What Fairytale to Nightmare Really Means
Fairytale to Nightmare isn’t just a book title — it’s a metaphor for what so many people go through.
You fall in love. You dream. You trust. And then it all falls apart.
But Sonya message is simple: you can survive it. You can rebuild. And when you do, you’ll be someone stronger, wiser, and more grounded than ever before.
“I was the caterpillar,” Sonya says. “Now I’m the butterfly. And I’m proud of myself.”
A New Job, New Friends, and a New Future
Today, Sonya works with a supportive, empowering company, surrounded by people who respect and uplift her. She’s embraced her role as an author, speaker, model, and survivor — all while staying true to who she is.
She credits her family, her special friend Joyce Abbott, and even her ex-boyfriend from years ago, who reminded her that she would be OK.
“The support brings tears to my eyes,” she says. “I’m so grateful.”
Final Words: For Anyone Who’s Been Hurt
Sonya journey proves one thing above all: you are not your heartbreak. You are not your mistakes. And you are not broken.
Whether you’ve been betrayed, lost yourself in love, or feel like you’ll never recover — Fairytale to Nightmare is your reminder that you can come back stronger.
And Sonya? She’s just getting started.
Coming Soon: Fairytale to Nightmare — A Memoir by Barbara
Follow Sonya inspiring journey, from devastation to transformation.
- 🔥 Memoir: Fairytale to Nightmare — Coming Soon
- 🐶 Children’s Book: Award-winning story based on her dog
- 💃 Modeling: Mature model with D2 Models
