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Blog post

Finding each other through Pokémon GO: Les and Sandra’s story

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For Les Dorgo, helping people has always been the point.

As a full-time firefighter in Windsor, ON, Canada, showing up for his community isn’t just a job. It’s a responsibility he takes seriously. Every shift brings something new, and during the height of the pandemic, that responsibility came with added uncertainty, exhaustion, and emotional strain as much of the world shut down.

Like many people at the time, Les needed something consistent. Something that helped him reset.

That’s where "Pokémon GO" came in.

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What began as a reason to step outside became part of his routine. A daily walk. A familiar way to decompress. Catching Pokémon gave Les a reason to move and clear his head, offering a small but steady counterbalance to long shifts at work.

In "Pokémon GO", players are known as Trainers. For Les, becoming a Trainer gave those walks a simple sense of purpose.

At the same time, Sandra was on her own path.

Growing up with serious health challenges shaped how she approached new experiences and relationships. Those early years built resilience and made community especially important. When she found "Pokémon GO", becoming a Trainer offered more than a game. It gave her a way to explore her surroundings and connect with people who shared her interests.

Neither of them were looking for anything beyond a shared experience.

But through "Pokémon GO" events and local meetups, Les and Sandra crossed paths within their local Trainer community. What started as casual conversation quickly deepened. Walks became longer. Time together extended beyond the game.

And in what seemed like a whirlwind, that connection grew into a relationship.

Their partnership developed alongside the routines "Pokémon GO" had already given them as Trainers. They walked together, attended events, and supported one another through the changes life brought. What mattered most wasn’t what was happening on their screens, but the time they spent together.

Over time, those shared moments marked some of life’s biggest milestones. Les proposed during a "Pokémon GO" event, surrounded by the same Trainer community that brought them together. They were later married at Liberty State Park, overlooking the New York City skyline during Pokémon GO Fest 2025. Following their wedding, they honeymooned at Pokémon GO Wild Area in Nagasaki, Japan, continuing to travel, play, and celebrate alongside other Trainers. 

What began as a shared routine became the foundation for a life together.


Today, Les and Sandra’s story reflects how a shared love of a game can lead to real-world connection. It shows how communities form through everyday experiences and how something simple can bring people together in unexpected ways.

"Pokémon GO" didn’t just fill their time.

It helped bring them together.
