A special episode of Love Me.

In 2019, Julie Piñero lost her boyfriend Jose. It was sudden. He was 26 years old. A virtual reality video-game designer.

When he died, Julie and Jose were still in that honeymoon phase of their relationship. They hadn’t had their first real fight. Julie’s dad—who has been helping her cope with her grief—never even got to meet Jose. The future was ripped away, leaving Julie with no path to follow…Until she remembers Jose’s idea for a video game called “Delejos”, or From Afar—a fantasy world where players can reunite with what they’ve lost. And Julie becomes obsessed with making it real.

“Delejos” is a meditation on grief and the power of creation. It's also the winner of the 2024 Tribeca Audio Nonfiction Award.

Do you have a story that could be a good fit for Love Me? Read our Call for Pitches to find out!