by SARAH INGRAM
When Christi Angel lost her close friend Cameroun Scruggs in 2020, her bereavement – like their relationship – was uniquely propped up by technology.
The pair lived hundreds of miles apart, so maintained their friendship through texts and online chats. When Cameroun tragically passed away during Covid, Christi had no option but to attend his funeral via FaceTime.
So, perhaps it seemed natural that she would use artificial intelligence to keep the connection alive after death.
Cameroun was Christi’s first love, she recalls. ‘He was there for all of my firsts. He was funny, silly, he loved animals – he was just a great person.’
The pair met when Christi was 14 and they had a deep and meaningful three-year relationship. After the couple split, they remained close for the next two decades and in constant contact despite their 800-mile distance, united through their shared history and love of music.
Christi, a full time carer and mum of one, was living in New York and Cameroun in Tennessee when she heard her friend was critically ill with liver failure at the age of 48.
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