Relationships can be sparked in a whole variety of places, especially in these modern times. The birth of the Internet brought about online dating, which is now a massive business.
Over the last decade or so, apps like Tinder and Bumble became an extremely common means of chatting to and meeting prospective new partners. But some people have been able to meet their beloved on other, non-dating apps.
One such person is Chelsea Birkett, from Aberdeen, who connected with the love of her life on TikTok. However it wasn’t just where she met her partner that raised eyebrows… it is the fact that Levi Orendor was still serving a sentence in a US prison at the time.
The single mum-of-two, 31, was battling mental health problems in autumn 2021 after developing agoraphobia in 2018. She was running a listening service for people suffering panic attacks called Talkable, while juggling her life with her girls – Scarlett and Eleira – and studying criminal law through the University of Strathclyde.
But one night in November 2021, she was scrolling through TikTok while lying in bed unaware that her life was about to change. In March 2022, Chelsea spoke to The Mirror‘s Kate Graham to tell her story.
She said: “I spotted an extremely cute guy. At first, I didn’t understand the account I’d found. Why were there so many similar videos of men? I clicked on his video.
“This handsome guy with an American accent said his name was Levi and he gave his prison number. His video was only 30 seconds long but it felt like a lightning bolt had hit me. ‘What on earth is this?’ I thought, realising all the videos were from men in American jails.
(Image: Chelsea Birkett)
“Wide awake and fascinated, I found the website of the account Prison Friendship. It’s an organisation that links US prisoners with people on the outside, through letters and online messages.
“’What a wonderful idea,’ I thought. I knew all too well the loneliness and isolation of being trapped, the claustrophobia of being somewhere you can’t leave. But something else was going on – an attraction.
“I’ve always liked bad boys. I’m drawn to the excitement and I want to try to fix them. Knowing this, I spoke to myself sternly. ‘Chelsea, you cannot write to this man as a pen pal,’ I thought. ‘You can’t fall in love with some guy who’s in prison in Idaho!’
“However, it was no use. I didn’t know what crime Levi had committed. But his eyes were so kind, I just knew I had to reach out to him. So I told myself I was just looking for a pen pal and went for it. I read about JPay, the system that lets you communicate with prisoners.
(Image: Chelsea Birkett)
“I soon had an account and was typing. I told Levi my name and age, that I was a mum and hoping to buy my own home. That I was looking for a pen pal. I attached a photo and clicked send.
“I was astonished when half an hour later a reply popped up. My heart raced as I read that he was glad I’d written to him. Levi was friendly and honest. He said he was 28 with no kids, that prison was awful but he’d put himself there with bad choices.
“My head was whirling. I was desperate to reply but forced myself to wait until morning. I needed time to think. I made it until 6am before I was typing away and then came the endless wait for Idaho to wake up at 3pm UK time.
“The messages soon flew between us. We wrote about everything. I didn’t filter anything out. Levi told me he was in jail for motor vehicle theft. He was jailed in 2019 and wouldn’t be up for parole until December 2022. None of that made me see him any differently. He was a convicted criminal but he didn’t hide his past.
“He was so thoughtful and open, and he deserved friendship as much as anyone else. We had our first phone call on day two and I heard his lovely voice, then our messages got flirty on day three. I was still pretending that this was just platonic.
“For our first video call the next day, I was nervous as I put on make-up and styled my hair. I was terrified it would be awkward and we’d sit in silence, or that he might not fancy me. I didn’t want to admit that I was really attracted to him.”
After waiting for her girls to go to bed, Chelsea made the “surreal” call. He was in a room full of people and the video cut out after 15 minutes. The mum said: “My first thought was I couldn’t believe we’d spoken. The second was how cute he was.”
Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!
Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today.
You’ll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team.
All you have to do is click here if you’re on mobile, select ‘Join Community’ and you’re in!
If you’re on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click ‘Join Community’.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like.
To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose ‘exit group’.
If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
However, after the cut-off call, Chelsea received no messages from Levi the following day. He didn’t pick up her video or phone calls either – and the Aberdeen mum thought she had been ghosted by her prisoner pal.
Chelsea continued: “I struggled to sleep, worried it was all over. Then I woke up to seven lovely messages. The system had broken down, he explained. He didn’t want me thinking he’d ghosted me.
“The flood of relief and happiness showed me Levi wasn’t my pen pal – he was an amazing guy I was falling for. He felt the same, too. Two weeks after we connected, he said he’d stopped messaging other women. We were exclusive. ‘Wow,’ I thought, with a huge smile. ‘I’ve just agreed to be a prisoner’s girlfriend!’”
Nervous about admitting it to her loved ones, she kept the relationship quiet at first, before opening up to her best friends and brother. Two months after their first call, the couple admitted that they were in love.
(Image: Chelsea Birkett)
Chelsea said: “I was overjoyed. We hadn’t held hands or kissed but our bond was strong. I felt so lucky that we’d found each other and we began to talk about the future.”
Although they were still months away from meeting in person, it was a huge milestone. And for Valentine’s Day, Levi – who planned to visit Scotland after his parole was up – had his mum send Chelsea a teddy bear. She said: “Finally, I had something from him to cuddle.”
Speaking about their unusual connection, Chelsea said: “I know people might not understand why I’d choose a relationship with a convict, rather than a local guy. I absolutely believe that criminals should be punished for what they’ve done. But Levi is an amazing human being, who deserves love.
“Levi and I know each other’s flaws and insecurities. We support one another through the tough days. And he loves me. What more can you ask from someone than that?”
Don’t miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond. Sign up to our daily newsletter.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
