It was an unlikely pairing: the glamorous 47-year-old model and a teenager headed for nursing school.
Twitter brought 18-year-old Sam McCauley and his "dear friend" and mentor Charlotte Dawson together.
But the social media platform also delivered the TV presenter to legions of anonymous tormenters who repeatedly dared her to take her own life. Eventually she did.
Now McCauley and two friends have launched a campaign they hope will ensure no one else suffers online the way Dawson did.
The Charlotte's Law petition on Change.org calls on Australian governments and law enforcement agencies to put existing anti-bullying and harassment laws to use, and has already garnered 35,000 signatures.
It also wants social media firms to take a proactive role in preventing cyber-bullying and monitoring hate posts.
Dawson was outspoken about her depression and in 2012 publicly waged war on so-called Twitter trolls.
She was found dead in her Sydney home on Saturday.
Mr McCauley told AAP he wanted her death to serve as a catalyst.
"We thought, what can we do to make Charlotte proud, and continue her legacy?" he said on Monday.
"The main thing I would like to see after this is that no person ever has to suffer the way Charlotte did."
He remembered Dawson, whom he met in person for the first time last year, as generous and always ready with advice and guidance.
"She was a tortured soul, she had a lot of demons," he said.
"But she was also a really caring and kind soul that thought of everyone before herself."
Dawson's sister Vicky, who lives in New Zealand, will reportedly arrive in Australia on Monday to make funeral arrangements.
* Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467 or follow @LifelineAust @OntheLineAus @kidshelp @beyondblue @headspace_aus @ReachOut_AUS on Twitter.
