Five months ago, I shared how my disability created friendships. I’ve also been lucky enough to make friends and acquaintances online.
On 25th February 2017, I became friends on Facebook with a young lady called Heather Monger, who lives in Cornwall.
We found each other on a Facebook group called Cerebral Palsy UK. We were both commenting on a post about loneliness and making friends with a disability.
I then decided to be a bit stalker-ish and look at her profile. It turned out we had several mutual friends from Treloar college.
I private messaged her asking if she used to go to Treloars. Unfortunately she had not but her best friend, who sadly passed away in 2014, did go to Treloars and she was mutual friends with some of his friends. Plus other former students moved onto a residential home in Worthing where Heather also lived for a period.
We became friends on Facebook and chatted regularly on messenger for 2 years. Several times we tried meeting up in person but it kept being postponed due to illness, no carers available or busy with other commitments.
Eventually, in April 2019, we finally had a brief meeting at my house. It was only a flying visit on her way back from Worthing visiting her other friends. But it was nice to speak in person rather than via text message.
Three months later, I organised a summer BBQ to get all my friends together. I invited Heather to join us and she managed to come. She blended in well with the rest of my crazy mates and we had the best time chatting, gossiping, ranting and laughing.
And of course I have to also mention her adorable and nutty chihuahua Indy.
We’re now in the process of organising our next get together hopefully with me spending the weekend in Cornwall.
This just goes to show if you look in the right places and use social media sensibly and safely, friendships can indeed be made online.
