The 3,500-mile love story that started in an online horror game

It is an online romance that has overcome a 3,500-mile distance, and also the Covid pandemic - which meant they had to get married virtually.

Welsh cheesemaker Lewis Relfe struck up a relationship with Ameila Henderson, from Virginia, USA, while playing the Friday the 13th horror video game in 2017.

She made a number of visits across the Atlantic, including one for six months, and he proposed on Aberystwyth Pier, dressed as the game's main character, Jason Voorhees.

While they admit to seeing the humour in being the couple that met and married virtually, they now live together in Gwynedd, with daughter Evelyn.

But because of parental responsibilities, they no longer get to enjoy the thing that brought them together.

One of them will usually be entertaining Evelyn as the other is on the console, meaning they can't play Friday the 13th and other games together.

It comes after Virgin Media research conducted last year found that 51% of Brits would prefer to meet a romantic partner through online gaming than via a dating app.

"She didn't intend on talking to anyone," Lewis said.

"She was about to leave [the game], when she heard the British accent."

This is how he explained the chance encounter in what he described as generally "a male dominated space" in the video gaming world.

He was chosen to be on the same team as Ameila in the game Friday the 13th - in which they have to try and escape killer Jason Vorhees.

The character first appeared in the 1980s classic horror film of the same name, with 12 movies being made in total, as well as novels, comic books and video games.

Lewis, from Caernarfon, then sent her a request to join a voice party where you can speak privately to other players.

He said she accepted the request, but later found out this was by accident.

"In my head, I was thinking I'll never talk to girls online," he said.

"So when I met Ameila, I thought maybe I'll give it a try."

After their chance meeting, the two became close friends before eventually starting a relationship.

Ameila was still living in Virginia which meant they were only able to visit each other sparingly.

"One of the last times before she moved over, she visited for six months to help her decide," said Lewis.

"If we could still stand each other after that we knew it would work."

Before she went back home, Lewis wanted to ask her to marry him, and did so during a Halloween night out on Aberystwyth Pier.

He fittingly dressed as villain Jason Vorhees.

Lewis remembers trying to distract her by talking about the ocean, adding: "When she turned around I was on my knees with the ring."

Lewis and Ameila tied the knot during a virtual ceremony on New Year's Day in 2021.

While this decision was enforced by the Covid pandemic, they can see the humour in being the couple that met online and married online.

"At least it wasn't as expensive as as a proper ceremony," Lewis joked.

After six years living apart, Ameila was able to apply for and obtain a visa to move to Wales.

She arrived in Caernarfon in 2023 where Lewis works as an assistant cheesemaker.

"It's definitely different. It's a lot more chilled out and laidback here than where I'm from," she said.

"I've got a job and got to know more people over here and everybody's been so nice. I do like it."

Ameila says the Caernarfon landscape reminds her of home, as she used to live in an area with "a lot of farmland and hills".

But having previously been more than six hours from a beach, she now lives just down the road from one.

"That's so nice as well to just be 20 minutes away," she said

Ameila has also immersed herself in Wales' history.

"I've always been interested in the medieval times, so going around the castles and landmarks is really cool," she added.

After welcoming a baby girl called Evelyn in April last year, the couple say they no longer have the time to game together, despite their close proximity.

Lewis said: "We're a lot more busy now with the little one.

"Usually one person will be gaming and the other person will be distracting her."

He describes parenthood as as "interesting experience" for both of them, adding: "Nothing really quite compares to it.

"It's a whole new level of happiness but also frustration."

Reflecting on their journey, Lewis said they "barely remember" their time apart after the last few years living together.

He said it wasn't easy to make the long distance relationship work, but their shared love of video games was key.

"We played so many games together for four hours during our time apart," he added.

"I think that really helped us."