I'd have to say that reading her twitter history was heart wrenching at points. She made lots of good decisions as well, such as being a lifeguard and taking an interest in the lives of the kids she worked around and making a difference. It's sad because she truly just needed some guidance and support. Not money support, but emotional support. She took great steps and prepared for her job interviews, and it's understandably one of those phases in life where support is exactly what you need more than anything else.
I don't see the need to even downplay her occupation because in the process she gained a certain amount of clarity about who she was and it seemed to give her confidence. It was as if she didn't feel the need to fit into what others wanted from her, and was able to be herself a bit more imo. So despite her occupation having that stigma, she did manage to find a level of acceptance that she wasn't getting previously. She was also going to concerts/events and pursuing writing, and I found myself rooting for her to follow that passion more intensely. But as with most things in life, not much comes for granted.
Made me sad when reading about her passions, knowing what the fast forward was in advance.
One of those things that sucks about being a teenager. You are often isolated with a group of people that you might not fit in with and kids can be cruel. The early 20's is when alot of people realize they don't have to fit in with everybody, and that it is not really all that big of a deal.
Lastly, I got the sense that the boyfriend was not a positive influence on her life, other than he was giving her the acceptance/attention she needed, for his own needs. I don't know that factually, but when I read through her pre kcmo tweets in a timeline, she was not what I would call promiscuous, but quite the opposite. I also don't get the feeling that she was ever promiscuous. But I'm sure we've all seen that kind of thing before where a young woman clings to the first person who accepts her, because that acceptance is something she is seeking. It's also something hard to walk away from, and often even harder as time goes on.
ah well. Just very sad imo. I know alot of people used her social media to blast out the stigmatized negatives of her occupation, but that same content also painted a picture of a beautiful person on the inside imo. I'm glad there are others here that have taken the time to notice that and allow it to affect them. Most of us likely know someone very much like Toni, and it's a reminder of how much a little acceptance and empathy could change someone's life if applied at the right moments.
Toni didn't seem like someone who would dwell on the past and let it cripple her, but it's heartbreaking to think about how little it might have taken in terms of actions by other human beings to change her life drastically for the better.
I do hope that somehow she is ok.
