Naman Shrestha
Prime Video’s ‘50,000 First Dates: A True Story’ is a two-part docuseries that focuses on Nesh Pillay and the way her life changed after she began battling the Traumatic Brain Injury, seemingly caused by getting her head bumped multiple times while growing up. Given the similarities between her story and the plot of various movies like ’50 First Dates,’ ‘The Notebook,’ and ‘The Vow,’ she and her boyfriend, Johannes “JJ” Jakope, became viral online, with several people also accusing them of faking the entire thing to gain fame. The documentary features insightful interviews with the couple themselves, who talk about their side of the story intricately.
Nesh and JJ Remained United Throughout the Former’s Memory Loss Issues
Nareshnee “Nesh” Pillay and Johannes “JJ” Jakope had been together for quite some time when on a seemingly regular day in 2022, the former lost the ability to access her memories after a quick nap in the afternoon. She woke up without an accurate knowledge of her age, the year she was in, and the fact that she had a daughter. Nesh also couldn’t remember that JJ was her boyfriend and mistook him for an Uber driver. As her memory loss became a common occurrence, she continued to forget about important aspects of her life, including her daughter and boyfriend.
After getting her condition diagnosed, it was reported that she was battling a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). According to the doctors, the amnesia was supposedly due to the accumulation of multiple head bumps, including a severe car accident that directly impacted her forehead when she was 10 years old. Besides that, these traumatic brain injuries also resulted in other neurologic symptoms, such as tremors and aphasia (a language disorder).
Nesh Has Been Wearing Many Hats Throughout Her Career, While JJ Seems to be Looking For a New Job
Before Nesh’s life was abrupted and changed forever, she was a well-read employee with a steady job. After majoring in English Language and Literature at Binghamton University, she earned her master’s degree in International Journalism and Communication from Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY in 2014. During her time at Binghamton University, she served as the Student Information Assistant and Yearbook Editor-in-Chief, allowing her to transition easily into her professional career. Beginning her career as a writer at Her Campus and Pipe Dream, Nesh co-hosted the Super Ian vs. The Nesh at BTV and became a news intern for WICZ Fox 40 and NY1 News.
While she was an HBO Production Assistant at VICE Media, Inc. in Brooklyn, New York City, she spent a couple of months interning at Mail & Guardian in Johannesburg, South Africa. At the same time, she served as a Marketing and Advertising Reporter at The Drum. In January 2015, she bagged a job at Avid Life Media in Toronto, Ontario, where she worked as the International Communications Manager for a year. In the next few years, she was employed at EQ Works as the VP of Marketing and Communications, Lighthouse Labs as the Director of Local Marketing Strategy, and Docebo as the Director Of Communications And Public Relations. From the looks of it, she is currently a part-time Professor at the Centennial College School of Communications, Media, Arts and Design.
Meanwhile, she is also the Founder and Managing Director of Press Pillay and VP of Marketing at Alpha. On the other hand, her partner Johannes “JJ” Jakope graduated from HTBLuVA Graz Gösting in 2011 and began his career as a Reserve Officer Aspirant at Österreichisches Bundesheer (Austrian Armed Forces). In November 2012, JJ then landed a job at PIA Automation, where he started as an Electrical Designer and moved up the ranks to become the Chief Project Manager before holding the role of Engineering Supervisor from September to December 2024. Over the years, he has successfully handled several international projects across the world and is open to working for a new firm.
Nesh and JJ Are Currently Fulfilling Their Roles as Doting Parents
After her devastating divorce in her mid-20s, Nesh was a single mother to her daughter, Zenaid. Devoid of hope and direction, she crossed paths with Johannes “JJ” Jakope, who stood right next to her and helped her move on in life. In 2022, things got tougher for them as Nesh suffered from memory loss. While she was all puzzled about her life and memories, JJ took on the responsibility of being her caretaker, showcasing his unconditional love and care for her. With his support and care, Nesh started getting better.
The couple got pregnant and broke the news to the public in December 2023. Around the same time, JJ popped the question to her, and they got engaged. However, they collectively decided to postpone the wedding as they wanted to focus their energy on their baby and didn’t want to rush things. In March 2024, they welcomed a son named Caleb into the world without causing any damage to Nesh’s memories. Having a close-knit bond with her family, she ensures to spend some quality time with her parents and two sisters, Merishka and Kuvanya Pillay. Before she suffered from TBI, Nesh used to speak confidently at public gatherings.
After a gap of a couple of years, in November 2024, she returned to the stage provided by Once Upon A Woman – Her Story and shared her story with a room full of people, talking about her journey as an amnesiac patient and the challenges she faced along the way. The following month, she traveled all the way to South Africa with her fiancé and her children. They stayed at several luxurious properties, including Ndaka Safari Lodge in the town of Ladysmith. In February 2025, she made an appearance on CBC Radio’s ‘Metro Morning’ and opened up about her experiences.
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