Steinbach crash victim passionate about becoming pilot

An Ontario woman says their world has been turned upside down after the mid-air collision near Steinbach Tuesday claimed the life of her son’s girlfriend.

Kelly Vadori, of Aurora, has launched a GoFundMe to support the family of 20-year-old Savanna May Royes, her son’s partner, in hopes of easing the financial weight on her family.

“My son (Jaxon Vadori) and Savanna were more than a couple, they were bonded in love and loyalty,” the fundraiser’s page said. “A ring was given to Savanna shortly before she left for pilot school, as Jaxon’s promise to Savanna that when she was back in just a few months, he would replace that ring with a larger one.”

Jaxon had just graduated from the College of Sports Media and had recently secured an internship with Sportsnet — a milestone moment shadowed by loss, the fundraiser says.

Sreehari Sukesh, a certified private pilot and international student from India, was identified as the second victim. Both were students at Harv’s Air flight training school, located in Steinbach about 50 kilometres southeast of Winnipeg.

Vadori said she learned about the crash while at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children with her daughter, who considered Royes her sister.

“My son called screaming and I fell to my knees,” she said. “There is nothing I can say to Savanna’s mother and father that will bring back their amazing, full of life, ambitious, beautiful little girl.”

Vadori said Royes had become a pillar of support for the family, especially during her own battle with cancer.

“She just didn’t want me to be alone,” Vadori wrote. “She helped me immensely with my nine-year-old daughter, when I went through cancer treatment, and my husband had to be at work, and both of my boys were at school.”

Vadori expressed deep compassion for Royes’ parents, Tim and Loraine.

“I know that my pain as a mother will never ever compare to the pain that Savanna’s mother is in right now,” she wrote. “And I cannot for the life of me fathom having to bury my child.”

Royes had dreamed of becoming a pilot since she was 16, following in her father’s footsteps. It was a path she pursued with determination and passion, the fundraising page says.

The Transportation Safety Board is investigating Tuesday’s crash.

scott.billeck@freepress.mb.ca