As The Pokeball Turns
As The Pokéball Turns is a Pokémon interview podcast that shares real stories from Trainers around the world. From personal journeys to lasting friendships, we explore how Pokémon shapes lives and builds community across the games, the TCG, and beyond. Join creators, community leaders, and everyday fans as they share what makes Pokémon more than just a game. New episodes drop every Wednesday and Friday. One voice, one journey, one memory at a time. Your next Pokémon adventure begins here!
As The Pokeball Turns
"The Greatest Pokemon Story Never Told" ft. David Hernandez | TRAINER'S EYE #186
For years, I’ve helped other Trainers tell their stories. This time, I’m telling mine.
I step out from behind the mic to share my Pokémon story. Not as a highlight reel, but as a timeline of survival, wonder, and healing.
From finding refuge in Pokémon Red and Blue during a lonely childhood, to learning friendship, curiosity, and identity through each generation, Pokémon became the place I could breathe when real life felt too heavy. Later, Pokémon GO pulled me back into the world into movement, community, leadership, and eventually the podcast itself. I also open up about grief, mental health, burnout, and what it meant to choose “one more time” when I didn’t want to.
This is about nostalgia, mental health, and healing through games and why stories deserve a place to live.
Sources
Opening Song: "Forget You" by Alex_MakeMusic from Pixabay
- Visit our website: www.asthepokeballturns.com
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https://discord.gg/AqAbD7FbRt
Your next Pokemon adventure begins here!
Dear Pokemon, we've been through a lot together. You were there in lonely moments, in the uncertainty and the chaos, and in the joy. When life felt overwhelming, you gave me a place to breathe. You helped me fall in love with storytelling. You encouraged my imagination when reality felt too heavy. You taught me that curiosity wasn't something to suppress. It was something to honor. In Kanto, You taught me how to imagine how to explore a world bigger than the one I was handed. How to believe adventure was possible. In Johto, you show me that it's okay to step into something new while still respecting where it came from. That growth doesn't mean abandoning the past. It means learning from it. In Hoenn, you taught me about balance, about nature, about what happens when power is taken too far in any direction. In Sinnoh, you reminded me that curiosity is sacred, that it's okay to wander, to search, to sit with questions that don't have easy answers. In Unova, you showed me that it was okay to question what I believed, to wrestle with ideas to challenge systems instead of accepting'em just because they were familiar. In Kalos, you helped me see beauty and expression that creativity, style, and vulnerability all have value. In Alola, you reminded me of tradition of roots of community and that family chosen or given shapes who we become. In Galar, you prepare me to be seen, to stand in the spotlight without losing myself. To understand the weight and responsibility of having a voice. In Paldea, you taught me that there isn't just one path in life. That uncertainty isn't something to fear, it's something to explore. And in Pokemon Go, you got me moving. You reminded me to get up, to step outside, to keep going, even when life felt heavy through every region, every chapter, every version of myself, you've been there. So thank you for the stories, for the refuge, for the lessons, for helping me survive and eventually helping me heal. Thank you Pokemon. For walking with me through every chapter, David Hernandez, and this is my Pokemon story. O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O... Welcome to As The Pokeball Turns, where every voice, every journey, and every memory brings us closer to the world of Pokemon. My name is David Hernandez, and this episode is a little different. Usually I'm the one asking the questions, but this episode, I'm answering them. What you're about to hear isn't a highlight reel. It's a journey. It's my Pokemon story. For this conversation, I'll be answering questions from an interviewer, giving me the same space. I've always given my guest. สมัว มชใจ แกกัก้
As The Pokeball Turns:David, when you think back to the Pokemon Red and Blue era, what's the first memory or feeling that comes to mind? Not the game itself, but where you were in life at the time?
David Hernandez:I think about being alone. Um, I was the youngest of 12, but I didn't grow up with my siblings. all my brothers ended up either in jail or overdosing drugs, so I didn't come from really the best family. Uh, I remember my parents, they always kind of slept in separate rooms and that was just normal to me. They worked a lot, so I really spent a lot of my time by myself. There was a lot of yelling in the house, sometimes daily, and. I learned early, how to tune it out, pertaining to be asleep, waiting for things to pass Unfortunately at school I wasn't much better off there. I was bullied a lot because of my weight, which came from my health issues. I didn't really understand at the time. Breathing problems really limited, limited me early on. I was in the hospital a lot and it limited me what I could do physically, and the kids at those age were relentless about it. between home and school, there really wasn't a place where I felt safe for at Peace. Pokemon became that place. I didn't like it at first. Uh, I was a big hater about it, but eventually Pokemon became the escape into a world where I could exist without being judged.
As The Pokeball Turns:You said you didn't like Pokemon at first. How did it actually enter your life?
David Hernandez:My first real experience with Pokemon was through my best friend at the time, darl. He brought over a Pokemon stadium and honestly, you know, I was a huge hater at first. Like I said, just I didn't really have good reason for it. I think it's'cause it was popular, but we played anyway. it was weird thinking about those times because we thought Pokemon moves, accuracy was determined by the size of The Pokeball. For example, we believe smaller Pokemon like Diglett or Amite had better evasion. We thought Mr. Mine was one of the strongest Pokemon in the game and we were wrong. obviously when you look back, you think of Pokemon like Alexza or Mewtwo, right? Typing wrong Pokemon obviously. But that time with Darryl changed something. It wasn't about being right, it was about discovering something together. Um, soon after my mom got me Pokemon Red and I was infinitely hooked, I played it a lot. I chase background rumors or playground rumors I should say about po. Gods tried being the leap 400 times without healing. Uh, don't recommend by the way. and mainly'cause the magazine said it was possible, so it had to be true back in those days. I just imagined being with The Pokeball as we went through the region together. I.
As The Pokeball Turns:Listening to you describe that, it sounds less like you were just playing a game and more like you were with your Pokemon. What did winning battles mean to you back then?
David Hernandez:Winning wasn't really that important to me. Winning meant our teamwork worked. It meant doing something together. The experience mattered more than the outcome. Pokemon, to me, felt like a friend. One that waited for you, one that was always ready for an adventure when you were, I didn't feel like I was over them. I felt like I was traveling with them. To me, Pokemon were friends. They were real life friends. When they heard, I heard when they were happy, I was happy. It's why I always ran to The Pokeball Center after one F for that reason. You wouldn't leave a friend when they retired. That's what Pokemon was always meant to me and still does to this day.
As The Pokeball Turns:There's a moment in the Pokemon anime that comes to mind while you're talking, one that you've mentioned. Ash being surrounded by his Pokemon in the cold. Did moments like that resonate with you growing up?
David Hernandez:That moment is one I've always went back to. To me, it represented comfort. comfort has been rare in my life, or at least conditional at times. I've always had to be strong, mostly for myself. I didn't really have people I could always lean on, and I've always felt like I was too much. Like if people saw the real me or heard everything I carried, I felt like they would run away. I've always felt unlovable for most of my life. So when I saw Ash surrounded by his Pokemon, keep him warm, I wanted that feeling so badly that I even recreated it. I used my stuffed animals, so I wanted to feel surrounded, supported, held. Pokemon, gave me that emotionally even when nothing else did.
As The Pokeball Turns:Hearing that, it feels like Pokemon was doing more than just helping you escape.
David Hernandez:Yes, but Pokemon was also teaching me how to see life as a mystery. You know, I didn't grow up with much. We didn't have the internet. Cable was occasional. I spent a lot of time alone. Um, I would play the games that I would have. It was just mean Pokemon. And my dog, crystal Pokemon showed me that even the mundane could hold adventure. Looking back, I think Pokemon saw the adventurer in me before I ever did. For a long time, my goal in life was just to make it to the next day. Pokemon gave me peace when everything else was chaotic, especially before middle school, when things finally started to settle a little. Until then, Pokemon was my peace. It was my comfort. It was honestly my home.
As The Pokeball Turns:Pokemon sounds like it stayed steady for you when a lot of things weren't. Did you recognize that at the time?
David Hernandez:Not consciously. I was young. I was only eight or nine. Pokemon was just my default way of coping. It was there whenever things were going well or falling apart. It was the one constant when nothing else felt reliable. I didn't have the language for that back then like I do now. I just knew it was always with me. It was always there. As long as I had my game boy color, I was never completely alone anymore.
As The Pokeball Turns:Decades later, Pokemon would resurface again through your podcast. What was it like reconnecting with something that had been with you for so long?
David Hernandez:It felt like going on a different kind of adventure with Pokemon. When I was trying to figure out my podcast, people kept saying, do something you're passionate about. At the time that passion looked like Pokemon Go, but Pokemon has always been a part of my life. Even before Pokemon Go. Choosing Pokemon didn't feel like nostalgia. It felt like the road I was always meant to take. Pokemon has opened doors to me. It comforted me in different seasons of my life. This is just a new way of walking alongside it, and this time with my voice attached.
As The Pokeball Turns:As we close out this chapter, what does the era of Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow represent in your story?
David Hernandez:It is where everything begins Now with the badges or Cool Pokemon, although Articuno was my favorite during this era, and well, that's pretty cool. But Pokemon was for a kid who needed comfort and friends, and he found it in a world that didn't judge him. Pokemon didn't fix my life, but it gave me somewhere to belong until I could start building that for myself.
As The Pokeball Turns:When Pokemon Gold and Silver came out, where were you in life at that point? Did anything feel different from the Red and Blue era?
David Hernandez:Honestly, not much had changed yet. My life was relatively the same. I'm was still seen as the oddball or the freak is that they would call me at school. Home life hadn't changed either. Unfortunately, things were familiar in a way that wasn't comforting. What did stand out though, and just generation or the moments I spent playing Pokemon with my niece and nephew, uh, Ramon and Crystal. Uh, whenever they came over we would play Pokemon, surprisingly enough, and also the N 64. Ramon was the first person I ever battled in Pokemon using our actual game cartridges. Uh, that mattered more than I think I realized at the time. Um, he always had an over leveled starter and Pidgeot. That was what I remembered with him. But it was just kind of fun to be able to share Pokemon with somebody else. Daryl had already moved away by then, but Pokemon stayed with me just in a different form.
As The Pokeball Turns:Hearing you talk about your niece and nephew, it sounds like Pokemon started showing up in more imaginative, shared ways. What do you remember most about how you played during that time?
David Hernandez:I remember putting tape on the floor and driving little toy trucks along it, pretending we were catching Pokemon, using Pokemon cards. We would throw like little marbles or those little jewels that would come in The Pokeball boxes. They used to come with them, and I would hide the cards where I thought The Pokeball would actually live. You know, think like a Zubat under a chair, a Fearow high up in the counter, a Caterpie, like right up close, because you know, bugs kind of come up upon us suddenly. It sounds silly now, but at the time it made perfect sense. It was actually a lot of fun and something that makes me smile when I think about it. I was an uncle at basically at birth, pretty young age. Uh, my niece and nephew were actually only a few years behind me. It's a strange face to occupy. We still joke about it sometimes, even now, but I'm really grateful I had them in my life at that period. We even talked about those memories recently when I reflected on the old house, I stayed in Those moments mattered and they still do to this day.
As The Pokeball Turns:Generation 2 introduced some new mechanics like day and night cycles, and time affecting what Pokemon you could find. What stood you to you about that as you were playing?
David Hernandez:The nighttime feature, especially stuck with me. There was just something really beautiful about seeing the world change after dark. It made Pokemon feel alive in a new way, in a way that I had never seen before. And even still to this day since even daytime, felt more intentional. Like the game was moving alongside me. You know, I always remember doing the mystery gift, Pokemon Stadium two with the, default character and always looking forward to seeing what item I might get. That sense of anticipation was just huge for me. The only downside was how real life got in the way with Pokemon, gold and silver and crystal Pokemon, like Ledyba or Phaphy, which were only in the morning and I had school, so I never really had time during the weekday to play'em. And on weekends, I'd either sleep in or just forget to play. But even that frustration didn't take away from the magic that Pokemon had. It just reminded me that Pokemon existed alongside my life. For now, not separate from it.
As The Pokeball Turns:Listening to that, I'm curious how Johto itself felt to you. What was your relationship with that region at the time?
David Hernandez:Not really strong. At that point in my life, I was still focused on Kanto. I was more excited about going back and seeing what had changed. I never actually beat Red even to this day, embarrassingly enough, I spent more time playing Pokemon Snap, Pokemon Stadium, and even going back to red, blue, and yellow. Johto hadn't fully landed on me yet. It wasn't until Heart Gold and Soul Silver that I truly appreciated what Johto was offering. I think I just wasn't ready for it emotionally at the time.
As The Pokeball Turns:Even with all that, Pokemon still sounds like it held a familiar place for you. Did your relationship with it feel any different during this era?
David Hernandez:Besides my time with my niece and nephew, not really Pokemon, were still the friends I longed to have grown up. The imagination was still there and always remained and honestly even stayed that way even to gen three. They were still my companion, still my constant. That part never really faded.
As The Pokeball Turns:One moment a lot of players remember is realizing you could return to Kanto. What was that like for you when it happened?
David Hernandez:Pure awe in surprise. I couldn't wait to go back to Kanto and see what had changed. Even though it was bare bones, it was still incredible. Just to look at that feeling, realizing the world you came from was still there, really stuck with me. I'll be honest, I sort of spoiled myself. I remember looking at Pokemon magazines and reading about the Adventures in Kanto more so than actually playing it. I still have those magazines now. They sit in front of my desk. I think I spend more time imagining being there in that region instead of actually playing it. It's something I've always wanted Pokemon to do again. I mean, that's always wishful thinking. I think a lot of us would love to go back to a region like that, but that might just be a one-time Johto exclusive, unfortunately.
As The Pokeball Turns:When Generation 3 came out, how did things feel compared to Generation 2?
David Hernandez:It felt different. I had moved to a new school district and somehow I made friends. School was way better. I wasn't seen as the odd one out anymore, just another kid, which is what I've always wanted. I still dealt with weight issues and now acne, but for the first time in my life, no one made fun of me for it, and it was relieving. Pokemon was still private for me. I played Pokemon, Ruby, and Sapphire mostly on my own. I started with Ruby because Groudon just grabbed me, the red and brown background, the scale of it. Something about it just stuck deep when I saw the cover of Pokemon Ruby. But while school improve, home did.
As The Pokeball Turns:You mentioned home didn't improve. What was going on for you during that time?
David Hernandez:Well, around 2004 my dad left. I remember lying in bed pretending to be asleep while my mom told him she was gonna call the cops. they were arguing back and forth like they always done, but this one was just different. And when she said she was gonna call the cops on him, I just stayed still.'cause she's never said that before. I stayed still on my bed, like if I didn't exist, I held my breath. Hoping that it would all just pass, that this was just all a bad dream. unfortunately it wasn't a bad dream. Um, he was picked up, I think, by his sister, and I didn't see him for a long time after that, at home, after he left, things felt, I'd say awkward. My mom started drinking more, gambling more. She'd come home drunk or be gone entirely. I never said anything because I was just scared. I was scared of her. I was scared of what would happen if I did say something. So Pokemon was still my home away from home, but school became safer than home, which was new to me.
As The Pokeball Turns:Hearing that, I'm curious what pulled you so strongly into Hoenn during this period. What kept you playing?
David Hernandez:Definitely exploration. Hoenn just felt huge with the oceans, the weather, all the caves and the secret bases, the underwater part of it. It felt like Pokemon had expanded in every direction, trying to find its limits. And then you have FireRed and LeafGreen, which brought me back to Kanto. Familiar but refreshed with updated graphics and not as broken of a battle system. And then the Sevii Islands opened up everything back up again. It opened up the mystery that I've always enjoyed about Pokemon. You think of the pattern bush, the altering cave, all that felt like there was more hiding beneath the surface. My friend Josh and Dan, who were my best friends at the time, we had so many theories. We played Pokemon together. We thought maybe there was a rare Pokemon there. We thought it was like a secret event. you know, I believed even in the myth, I don't know how many people knew about this or even heard of it, I believed in the myth of where there was a hundred rockets, and then it would launch you into Moss Deep Space Center, and it would take you to the moon to battle Jirachi in hopes of catching it. I believed all that. I also enjoyed Pokemon Kanto and Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness. I loved those games and played them constantly as I was growing up.
As The Pokeball Turns:You also brought up Pokemon Colosseum and Pokemon: XD Gale of Darkness, which felt really different from the mainline games. What stood out to you about those?
David Hernandez:I love those games. I love them to death. Um, I always lean a little bit over towards Pokemon Colosseum'cause I like the world more so than Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness. But they both have their strengths. being an ex-member of team Snag'Em, starting as someone who walked away from the villains made me feel like such a badass. I saw myself in that character easily. I don't know why. that's where my love for Espeon really solidified. Before that I really didn't have much of a preference for the EV evolutions, but Espeon, just starting with that as a partner just was different. Not enough to take over Articuno, though. Articuno was still number one, but just enough to make it to the top three at the time. I remember when I saw the teaser for Pokemon Colosseum, it was on the Mario Kart double dash bonus disc, and I was like, what is this? This is like the sequel to Pokemon Stadium two. I put it in and you just saw all the different Pokemon, like an Armaldo, Wailord, you saw like high levels of 76 to 84. And you know, people joke about that now, but back in those days it was just hard to get Pokemon to those high levels. And I'm thinking like this even gonna be a challenge. Like my Pokemon are nowhere close to being that they're barely a fifties level. I'm even trying to get up to seventies or eighties. And it was just that need to kind of be at that level to have those Pokemon. Made me think like, I'm not strong enough for this challenge. I'm not ready. And because of that, I played Pokemon even more, more heavily than I already had.
As The Pokeball Turns:As you got deeper into the games, did the way you played Pokemon start to change?
David Hernandez:It definitely changed. I got into EV training abilities and breeding moves. I didn't do IVs'cause IVs kind of scared me at the time and it wasn't to Pokemon Go that I actually, that I haven't done in IVs honestly. But IVs were just a different level of dedication that I wasn't prepared for. But none of these mechanics, my friends knew nobody really did unless you really dived into the game. And it felt like I was in a secret language of sorts, like. A who's who's club like if you know, you know, kind of thing. It was a lot of work back then to ev train to get competitive Pokemon compared it is now. But it was exciting in a way. Realizing that you had to battle certain Pokemon to get the most out of a single stat was intriguing. And then also the breeding mechanics was also fun. You know, I had a Salamence with hydro pump or a Sceptile with thunder punch. It just felt earned at the time. It felt like I worked for this. The emotional and the management side never went away, but now there was a mastery side too.
As The Pokeball Turns:You mentioned friends being around more during this time. Did Pokemon stay something you experienced alone, or did it start to feel more shared?
David Hernandez:It became shared. My friends, Josh and Dan, like I said, and others actually played Pokemon. We'd have game nights where Pokemon was always part of the rotation. Of course, super Smash Brothers Melee, and then you, Gil was way more popular at school, but Pokemon was just right there, like just there. Always present. People engaged with what I wanted to do. And looking back, I know I was very selfish at times, probably a lot of times if I'm honest, but I'm grateful they stayed and played anyway.
As The Pokeball Turns:When you look back now, what emotion defines Generation 3 for you?
David Hernandez:Excitement and curiosity. It felt like Pokemon was exploring itself and kind of invited me along for the ride. The possibilities felt endless. You didn't really know what the limit of Pokemon was at the time. I never got tired of returning to all those games. Ruby Sapphire, Emerald Leaf Green FireRed, XD, Pokemon Colosseum, because the emotional connection was just so strong for me with those games. That generation of games, I got creative on how I played. You know, sometimes I would do Pokemon team drafts, pretend each game was picking on its team. It's kind of how I prevent training duplicates. Even to this day. I wanted to be able to experience Pokemon in as many ways as I possibly could. I remember building a Dragon team for my friend Josh, and I had to use Pokemon found in the Dragon Egg Group to really have some diversity at the time. I also did a play through where I tried to do ice only. It was just good times looking back on it.
As The Pokeball Turns:Listening to all of that, what do you think Pokémon was giving you during this stretch of your life?
David Hernandez:I think Pokemon was building my sense of wonder and curiosity without me really knowing or being aware that foundation eventually became As The Pokeball turns, believe it or not, playing this generation so deeply so differently in many different ways, taught me how many ways people connect to Pokemon, and it helped me appreciate those differences. Later on, once I started doing the podcasting, interviewing people both with Pokemon Go and eventually Pokemon.
As The Pokeball Turns:By the time Generation 4 arrived, you weren’t a kid in the same way anymore. What was your life like during this period?
David Hernandez:At home, I was still timid what my mom said when I had friends in high school and we still played Pokemon, even though Yugioh continued to be more popular, but things escalated fast After I graduated. My Aunt Pat encouraged me to apply and go to college, and I did. I had no idea what I wanted to do, like every other person at that age. I just knew I wanted to help people. That was what spoke to me. But in 2008, my mom got into a huge fight with her, significant other. One night, there was a lot of yelling. They were throwing things, the cops were called. I was shut into my room again because I didn't wanna be put in the middle. I remember crying and saying I didn't wanna be here anymore. This was no longer home. I had just started college and I knew I couldn't keep living in that environment no more. I called my friend Pam in tears and begged her to help me apply for on-campus housing, and she did, which I'm internally grateful for, and I was accepted. When I told my mom, she didn't tell me that I had to give up my dog if I wanted to go.
As The Pokeball Turns:That sounds like an impossible choice.
David Hernandez:It was, crystal had been with me for over 10 years. She was the type of dog who would be excited to see me whenever I walked home from school. I remember just walking up to the yard and she would have her tail wagging, her paws would be on the fence, just eager to say hello and to welcome me home. She was always there. She was a friend and giving her up broke my heart, but I knew I couldn't stay. I knew I had to give her up. Thankfully, my friend Geno, he helped me find her a new home, and I'm grateful she lived a happy life for the rest of your years. I never saw her again after I gave her up. I remember just telling her like, it's gonna be okay. I remember I was tearful of having to give her up.'cause again, she was one friend that I had besides Pokemon and plus everybody else, of course. And then Geno also helped me pack my things and move to UTA. And honestly, I didn't have any money. All I had was hope and a Bible verse, Genesis 12, one through three. I still look at that verse sometimes. I looked at a lot this through past year to kinda remind myself how far I've come and to see how far I'm gonna keep going and to just keep hope alive.
As The Pokeball Turns:Once you were on your own, how did your life start to change?
David Hernandez:From 2008 to 2010, things were not easy, but they were finally peaceful for the first time home, which was the dorm room that I stayed at was calm. Socially. I was still accepted, although freshman year was still challenging, and I had friends, a lot of them, believe it or not, I wasn't known for doing anything amazing. I wasn't athletic. I mean, I had a three point shot that was about it. For the first time. I didn't have to worry about being seen as a member of my family. I didn't have to worry about my appearance.'cause we were all kind of just college students. I was just known for being kind, I was me and that was enough.
As The Pokeball Turns:You’ve mentioned that your first year of college was still challenging socially. How did you navigate that?
David Hernandez:I struggled with conversation I always had growing up, and even up to that point, I never really learned how to talk to people. Just the idea of the back and forth that, you know, you would see people, the dialogue always just confused me. Like, what do you say to keep it going? What do you say To even start it, it just, that idea just confused me. After my freshman year, I wanted to learn. I wanted to be different. I wanted college to be something beyond what I knew from high school, and so I decided to learn. I didn't have internet at home, but one summer after my freshman year of college, I found an unsecured wifi signal and connected my Wii to it. And I Googled with my, you know, Wii controller, how to have a conversation, and I read the steps and I practiced with The Pokeball plush. The key thing that I learned was listening. If you listened and ask questions, conversations flowed, and just that one detail changed everything for me.
As The Pokeball Turns:Where did Pokémon fit into your life during this time?
David Hernandez:It stepped into the background. Once I moved on to campus in college, my freshman year gave me a real life exploration. For the first time I was discovering who I was. Pokemon was still there, always was, but I just didn't play it as much. I, oddly enough, I even used Pokemon to help me learn Spanish or try to learn Spanish. Maybe passing Spanish is probably the best way to put it. I remember I nicknamed my Pokemon with Spanish words to help me remember them for a quiz or for a test. For example, I used Tif, uh, TIF Flown became Quia, which is butter in Spanish. It never helped me learn it, but it helped me pass Spanish one and two, three. That was a lost cause, but Pokemon adapted with me up through the times. it's always a fun tale to say that Pokemon helped me pass Spanish.
As The Pokeball Turns:As you think about Sinnoh now, what stands out to you about that generation?
David Hernandez:Honestly, I didn't really get a chance to appreciate it. Back then, my, DS broke on a bus. When it stopped. Suddenly I couldn't afford to fix it, so I went back to Gen three games until Heart Gold Soul Silver came out. When those released, I got a new DS at that point, and Johto finally clicked for me with Heart Gold, Soul Silver. I appreciated the different aesthetics and the time battles way more. I appreciate the culture that Johto was known for. This time around with better graphics. I also got to play with friends, went to midnight, releases, even entered a tournament hosted by my friend Andrew and got second place. Sometimes meeting arrives late and that was the case for HeartGold, SoulSilver. But you know what, I'm okay with that. Still gotta beat Red though. Still gotta beat Red.
As The Pokeball Turns:Looking back on that time, what do you feel this era was giving you?
David Hernandez:Preparing for the first time I was happy. I was living by my own decisions. I wasn't being shaped by fear or control anymore. My future was still uncertain, even as a social work major, but the friends I made during that time truly shaped the man I am today. I didn't know where I was going yet, but I finally knew I was allowed to go.
As The Pokeball Turns:By the time Pokémon Black and White released, you had already gone through enormous change. Where were you in your life emotionally and socially at that point?
David Hernandez:Honestly, it was one of the best stretches in my life. My best friend Charles was a resident assistant, and something about that role spoke to me deeply. I wanted it, I wanted to be a resident assistant, not for the title, but I wanted to plan events. I wanted to build community, great experiences. I wanted to make people feel welcomed, and I did, and it was amazing. I learned Photoshop. I learned basic marketing. I made Pokemon themed door decks for my first ever, I guess, resident assistant door decks, and I gave each one of my residents their own unique Pokemon, and my residents loved them. There were no duplicates there for birthdays. I gave people a Jolly Rancher, like it was a rare candy. It was fun, it was creative. It was very meaningful. If I could relive a period of my life again, it would definitely be 2010 to 2013.
As The Pokeball Turns:Hearing how full that time was for you, I’m curious how Black and White felt to play alongside all of that. What stood out to you about those games?
David Hernandez:Black and white was pure joy. I respect people who take risk, and black and white was a huge one for The Pokeball Company or Game Freak. Game Freak took a chance and I think it paid off I love the ambitious storyline, especially the question of whether Pokemon were truly partners or if we were using them for our own, I guess agenda. It is something the community has always joked about for years and seeing the game actually explored, felt refreshing. I played black and white too, more than almost any other game, even with how busy college life was. I always made time for them. I.
As The Pokeball Turns:As you were playing, were there ideas or questions in the story that stayed with you?
David Hernandez:Not fully at the time, but they were aligning with questions I was already asking. I became a Christian in 2007 and I got baptized at our home church I wanted to understand people from their world, not just from what I've been told. You know, sometimes people tell you what they want you to think, but some, it's a different thing when you experience it. I remember sitting in a GSA meeting, uh, grace did Alliance at the time and hearing people talk about being beaten, about being bullied, kicked out just for being L-G-B-T-Q, And it shook me. And church, you know, I always heard Christians were persecuted, but this was something that I never heard a Christian experiencing here in the States, and my mind couldn't fully comprehend what. I was, I guess hearing versus what I was told was happening. It forced me to rethink what compassion and love actually looked like. Black and white did a great job of a challenging assumptions. What's true versus what's ideal. I didn't fully understand it at the time, but it really did matter in the long I guess in the big picture, if so, you will.
As The Pokeball Turns:Were there any characters or story moments that stood out to you emotionally?
David Hernandez:Yes, especially in black and white too. There's a moment where some gym leaders don't show up to confront teen plasma, and the game actually explores why. ultimately came down to feelings of inadequacy, fear, doubt. It made them feel human. I also, of course, found N compelling. Very much so. Someone who generally believed in his mission. Only to end up being manipulated by Ghetesis and that kind of betrayal hits different when it comes from someone you saw as family. unless you've been through it, it's hard to really connect to it.
As The Pokeball Turns:With everything you had going on at the time, where did Pokémon fit into your life?
David Hernandez:It was still important, just not the only thing anymore. I was very social. I hosted events. I was working. I was deeply involved in the college community. Pokemon became something I enjoyed with friends, not something I relied on alone like I always had in my past, and I was happy with that.
As The Pokeball Turns:Looking back on that period now, what do you feel was changing for you during that time?
David Hernandez:college and generation five were, when I started separating my ideas from what society handed me, it was messy. And there were a lot of questions, a lot of questions. shout out to my campus, pastor Steven. I asked a lot of'em with him, but he always sat with me and it wasn't never perfect. Honestly, it was incomplete. You can only learn so much within college times. But I love the learning. I love the people who sit with me with these questions and kind of, not so much debate, but so much, try to explore'em together. And that's what my friends did. That's what my best friend Charles did when I had questions. That's what my campus pastor Steven did, and his wife Jane, that's what they all did. They sat with me with the questions I had, and they were never afraid to say, I don't know. And I think that I resonate with that. Like how could you know something a hundred percent? There's some things we'll know, but life's a mystery. It's very gray. And that's what Pokemon Black and White represented to me. And deep down, I've always cared about personal development, and I think this is where it took root before it finally blossomed into what we see today.
As The Pokeball Turns:When Pokémon X and Y came out, where were you in your life at that point? How were things feeling for you then?
David Hernandez:I graduated in May, 2013, and everything fell apart. My social life disappeared overnight. I had to move back in with my mom and it was awful. I slept on the floor. We barely had any food. I lost a lot of weight because of it. I also didn't have a car, which living in Grand Prairie where there wasn't any public transit, it was difficult. So I walked everywhere. I mean everywhere. It was bitterly cold. I remember that winter, and we didn't have internet at home, so I had to walk to the library in the cold just to apply for jobs. I avoided social media, or at least I tried to because watching my friends land their first jobs made me feel like I was behind, like I missed something. One year earlier, I had community purpose and friends, and now I had a degree in nothing else.
As The Pokeball Turns:That contrast sounds devastating.
David Hernandez:It was, I couldn't even get hired at McDonald's or a Whataburger. I thought life would be easier after college, but it's like I missed a memo everyone else got. I remember eventually I cried to my campus pastor when he asked me how things were going. I was inside his truck. I told'em about the job search, the walking, the hopelessness. I was walking 10 miles in the middle of Texas summer just to get to job fairs. I ended up with he discussion a couple times, but I didn't feel like I had a choice. And you know what? He didn't rush me. He didn't try to fix things. He sat with me, he listened, he acknowledged my feelings, and then he helped me, helped me find a plan. And just that, that changed everything for me.
As The Pokeball Turns:What changed for you after that conversation?
David Hernandez:I moved in with my best friend Charles, and I found a job at Tom Thump. I wasn't supposed to be hired. Surprisingly, I found this out towards the end. The positions were already filled in. They had let everybody else go, but the manager liked my answers and gave me a chance. Later when I was about to transfer to Dallas, she told me I was the best hire she ever had. And I didn't realize I had that kind of work ethic until much later.
As The Pokeball Turns:Once you were in Dallas, what did life look like for you then?
David Hernandez:life didn't suddenly become easy moving to Dallas. When I moved to Dallas, I used Dart to get around, which is the public transit here, but it stopped running in my area around midnight. And unfortunately, I was working closing shifts, which meant I had to walk home at 1:00 AM sometimes in the rain, sometimes in the cold again. Sometimes just in silence. and I had a little bit of help, my friend Andrew, he took me home when he could, but he also had to work in the morning. So he couldn't always commit to that. And I was okay with it, you know, I understood where he was coming from. I kept going just'cause I had to, I didn't have anyone to fall back on. My parents were unreliable. My Aunt Pat was focused on her kids. It was just me. I didn't have a car, but I had two legs in determination and so I used them. It felt like I had gone backward in life Pokemon was something I returned to at night. Familiar. It was steady. It was home X and y didn't resonate with me the other way Generations did. I didn't connect much with the style or presentation. I just wanted to experience the world quietly. Pokemon wasn't inspiration here, it was just companionship. It was another escape, especially when my dad passed away.
As The Pokeball Turns:How did that affect you?
David Hernandez:My world shattered. It happened March of 2016. I just didn't know how to process it. It's a different feeling when you lose a parent. if you've lost a parent, you understand what I'm talking about. I didn't even understand what I was feeling. I remember my Aunt Pat hugging me after a concert, just a normal goodbye hug, and I just broke down. It was the first time I've been held since my dad passed. And honestly, it's probably the first time I've been held in a long time, even after college. I just wanted to be held. Like I said earlier, comfort was rare. And I think that's deep down why I cried.'cause I just wanted comfort for just a little while.
As The Pokeball Turns:As you look back on this stretch of your life now, how do you understand it?
David Hernandez:I was surviving Again, I didn't get the chance to think about how I was seen or how I wanted to present myself until much later in life. This chapter of my life was about endurance, about not giving up, about trusting that things could get better even when I couldn't see how.
As The Pokeball Turns:By the time Pokémon Sun and Moon released, you had already endured a lot. What did things look like for you then?
David Hernandez:I was learning how to live without my dad. My friends hadn't lost their parents yet, so I was navigating grief without a map. In December of 2017, I got my first car and I named it after my dad. Ted and I still keep a picture of him in the glove department to this day. Around that time, Pokemon Go came out and Pokemon in the real world felt unreal. Like a dream I didn't know I needed. I got my own apartment. I was living alone fully on my own. And I went to my first go fest in Chicago, the first trip I ever planned and paid for myself. And of course, for those who don't know Go Fest. 2017 was a disaster. But in a strange way, it changed everything for me. oddly enough, I kept going to future go fest the following years.
As The Pokeball Turns:What about that experience made such an impact on you?
David Hernandez:Go Fest made me wanna find others who played Pokemon Go, especially with legendary rage debuting. That's how I found community. I met Raid Leaders like Deverock, grateful D and Mama T. Their passion was infectious. They loved the game, and because of that, they created space for others to love it too. Through them. I met so many incredible people, and Pokemon Go became something I share, not something I did alone.
As The Pokeball Turns:You mentioned going back to GO Fest after that. What kept pulling you back?
David Hernandez:I did 20 17, 20 18, 20 19, 20 22, 20 23, and 2024 each year. Taught me something different. By 2019, I was starting to wonder if I could be creative in this space. I tried photography, but it wasn't really for me. Still, something was stirring inside me.
As The Pokeball Turns:When you think about Sun and Moon themselves, what was your experience like with those games?
I enjoyed them. I love the beach setting the deviation from gyms and the way Pokemon replaced h hms. It made me feel more connected to Pokemon themselves, but I didn't stick with ultrasound and Ultra Moon. They both felt like the same games as before, and I drifted back to Pokemon Go instead.
As The Pokeball Turns:Were there parts of the story or themes that stood out to you at the time?
David Hernandez:Honestly, not really. I think I was too numb and still processing, losing my dad to look into themes or story with Pokemon Sun and boom, despite how much I enjoyed playing them, the themes were one of the weakest parts of my Pokemon journey. Not the games themselves, but just my memory of them, my relation to them. The games were more of escape for me during those times than something to really reflect on, like Pokemon, black and White. I didn't notice those themes until much later. Mostly through my guests talking about them on my show,
As The Pokeball Turns:So during this stretch, where did you start to feel connection again?
David Hernandez:With Pokemon Go. That's where my real life in Pokemon started to blur in a good way. I walked, explored, met people, and slowly reentered the world. I didn't fix everything. I didn't process everything, but I found connection. and that connection was thanks to Pokemon Go.
As The Pokeball Turns:When Pokémon GO first launched in 2016, what was it like seeing Pokémon in the real world for the first time? Where were you in life?
David Hernandez:As I said earlier, I was still in the back end of losing my dad. I had joined a grief group in trying to understand how people live after losing someone they love. Pokemon Go, came out during that time and seeing Pokemon in the real world felt like a dream finally come true. The game crashed, the servers went down. But once I got in, I was instantly hooked. I walked on lunch breaks, I played on the bus. I love discovering what might show up each day and seeing so many people come out to play. That was just inspiring. Seeing waves of crowd chase a Magmar or people yelling about a Snorlax or a dragonite, it really felt like world peace. Like people said, we were all just obsessed with Pokemon, allowing our childhood selves to kind of be seen. Finally, for the first time in a long time, for many people, and this was all because of Pokemon.
As The Pokeball Turns:You mentioned walking more and being out in the world again. How did that feel for you during that time?
David Hernandez:It was exactly what I needed. I was struggling with the idea of gaming at that point. I wanted to move. I wanted to live and Pokemon Go, let me blend both worlds together. Adventure came back into my life, different ages, different people. Pokemon stopped being something I had to defend loving, and for the first time since college, I didn't feel alone anymore.
As The Pokeball Turns:When did playing Pokémon GO start to involve other people for you?
David Hernandez:It was during Legendary Raid. I was in Chicago during Go Fest 2017, and even though the event was a flop, I'll never forget the moment, the first legendary egg appeared just right after the park. The energy was unreal. Imagine like waves of people crossing six lanes of traffic. I'm surprised people didn't get run over, but we were just all excited because it was something new. It wasn't legendary Pokemon, it felt like history. And then when I came back to Dallas, I wanted that feeling again. So I found RAID groups and it was because of legendary raids is where I met leaders like Deverock, grateful D and Mama t.
As The Pokeball Turns:What stood out to you about the way those leaders showed up?
David Hernandez:Consistency. They showed up every day almost. They set expectations. They cared about people. They cared about us in their own different way. Deverock was a master planner. He knew how to get around places and how to schedule raids. Grateful D had a commanding presence and taught me how to use passion for good. And MamaT was eager, joyful, and deeply invested in The Pokeball Go. She was quite competitive as well, and especially as a mother and a business owner. She had my respect. They gave rides, they made space. They enjoyed playing Pokemon Go. I learned a lot just watching each of them.
As The Pokeball Turns:GO Fest became something you returned to again and again. What did those trips mean to you?
David Hernandez:Each Go Fest just marked a chapter 2017 taught me not to build everything around the game alone. 2018 was about reclaiming adventure. The thing I lost since college 19, was watching my friends experience go fest for the very first time. Starting to question my creative path on how I can use my creativity. 2022 in Seattle. it was recommitting to. My podcast is True Purpose in 2023 in New York City. It was seeing my community, my podcast fans. Surprisingly I had some, my friends that I met online and fellow podcaster, like the Wayspotters, Lured Up, GO C ast. Many others. We were all together and I got to meet them. And then 2024 was learning self-respect, both as a creator and a human. Each year gave me something different and I could talk hours upon Go fest, but that's the Cliff Notes.
As The Pokeball Turns:At what point did Pokémon GO stop being just a game?
David Hernandez:I became a mod and admin multiple communities within DFWI created the DFW Pokemon Center Discord. It was the directory for Discords because I noticed there was difficulty of people finding groups within their area. And so I tracked local groups. I kept track of the ones that were active, And I didn't promote the ones that kind of went dead or didn't have active leadership, and I always refer people outward. I kept a pulse on the community, all over the community, all over DFW. Eventually, I became the owner of the DFW Pokemon Facebook group that's now over 23,000 people at the time of this recording. My creativity did really hit until 2019 when, like I said. I wanted to start tapping into it. I wanted to start finding a way to use it As The Pokeball Turns didn't officially launched until January of 2022, and then all the interviews that I've been doing didn't even start until August of that year, but the foundation for everything, everything I've mentioned has always been Pokemon Go.
As The Pokeball Turns:Looking back now, do you see Pokémon GO as the bridge between surviving… and choosing to build?
David Hernandez:Yeah, I think that's a good way to put it. Pokemon Go gave me so much and I wanted to give back After the pandemic shattered communities, I wanted to help rebuild them, not alone. I learned that lesson sorta. I wanted to empower others to lead. I wanted to invest in communities, but through the wristbands that I do, through my podcast giveaways, when I could give prizes out community days. My podcast became a way to serve local Pokemon communities, not just talk about Pokemon. Without Pokemon Go, I wouldn't be the man I am today.
As The Pokeball Turns:You’ve been describing a lot of connection and responsibility around Pokémon GO. Was there a point where that started to feel different for you?
David Hernandez:Yeah, that happened around 2019, I would say. It was when I became the owner of the DFW Pokemon Center Discord and took it upon myself to keep track of all the communities in the area. At first, it felt meaningful, like I was helping people find where they belonged, but over time it became mind numbing, exhausting, even. There was just always something to monitor, update or think about. It never really shut off. I wasn't just playing Pokemon Go anymore. I was maintaining an ecosystem.
As The Pokeball Turns:That’s a lot to carry, especially without formal support.
David Hernandez:It was. And at the same time, I was also trying to compete in gold gyms. There was a competition in our discord, and I didn't realize how competitive I was until then. I took it way too personally. There were leaderboard rankings, nothing official, just something between us. And at one point, one of the top gold gym runners coordinated with number one player to come into my area that I was working on. And they were all instinct using multiple accounts, and that was a mystic player with one account. It was easily one versus 10 through 12 accounts. I had no chance. There was no way, and then suddenly it didn't feel like a game anymore more.
As The Pokeball Turns:What about that shift changed things for you?
David Hernandez:It wasn't about being number one. I didn't mind not surpassing mama t. She earned her gems. She physically drove to every area she showed up. She endured criticism for her play style, and I respected that. What bothered me was losing to systems that didn't feel equal. I didn't like people being dropped into gyms, coordinated play that didn't require the same effort. I was driving myself. I was showing up myself. I was also facing some criticism here and there with one account, and it started to feel a little unfair. I felt that I couldn't be human, and I didn't know how to sit with that at the time.
As The Pokeball Turns:You used the phrase“I couldn’t be human” when talking about this period. What did that feel like day to day?
David Hernandez:I felt like I couldn't be frustrated that I couldn't really be tired and I couldn't step away. I felt like I had to be consistent both off and on the game. I had to be neutral. I had to be reliable, and I know that was self-imposed. That's just how I, saw leadership, but at the same time I was trying to compete. And there wasn't space for me just to be a person, to just be David. And I think that's when everything collided. The responsibility, the competition, the expectations. Eventually I had a friend show me how to spoof to even the playing field, and I know how that's viewed within Pokemon Go, and I'm not here to defend it, what I can say. Honestly is this, I felt free for the first time. I felt like I had a chance, like my effort wasn't being punished by my body, my time or my limits. I had already given so much elsewhere, organizing, connecting, holding things together, and as I said, I took it too personally. Too much meaning.
As The Pokeball Turns:Looking back now, how do you understand that moment?
David Hernandez:I don't see it as a failure. I see it as a sign that I probably should have paid more attention to. Even now, Pokemon Go didn't hurt me because I cared too much. It hurt because I was putting too much on myself, while trying to compete in a system that didn't value effort equally, that I took to personally. I felt like I couldn't be human anymore. And something had to change and something did change. Looking back, I wish I had been more mature to see my limits. I wish I had better communication skills. I just didn't have that level of insight at the time I.
As The Pokeball Turns:When Pokémon Sword and Shield came out, where were you in your life at that point? What was going on for you then?
David Hernandez:I had just lost my admin and mock privileges and was banned from The Pokeball Go community I was part of with Mama Teen Grateful D, and it hurt, but what surprised me was who stayed, people, I should say, friends supported me. They listened. They sat with me, chew. Even knowing that I had spoofed, that meant more than I realized at the time, and I wish I had learned my lesson then. The lesson to be around people who choose you, but not yet. I hadn't learned it outside of Pokemon. Life was stable. I lived alone, paid my bills, saved money. I was thriving, but creativity, I felt dormant. I couldn't figure out what I wanted to do. Creatively speaking career wise. I was unfulfilled. I wrestled with leaving stability for social work, something deep inside me told me that I need to see what I can do with this degree. I owe myself that much.
As The Pokeball Turns:What did you end up doing?
David Hernandez:In January of 2020, I started working in mental health. Within the criminal justice system. I worked with people who had schizophrenia, bipolar, depression, anxiety, you name it. That's what I worked with. And seeing this side of society, seeing the people who struggled with this, it changed how I understood people and even myself. I realized how wrong I had been about mental health. How real it is and how complex the issues really are. Eventually, in late 2021, early 22, I started therapy myself. I had always had flashbacks, but I just always just thought it was my mind playing games, and in some ways it was my mind playing games, but it was trying to alert me to something that was deep beneath me that I wasn't giving proper attention to. I was having intense flashbacks and it happened when I was on the road while I was driving, and that scared me. I was shaking. I was like, oh my gosh, this is, I gotta take care of this. And I realized that it was time to finally take care of myself, but I started from the inside because I wanted the change to be permanent. I want it to be something that's long lasting that wouldn't relapse. I went to therapy. And in therapy it was weird to have somebody, I guess, gimme the same presence. I give my guest, he was patient. He let me talk about anything he gave me freedom to choose the topics, and I explored. I talked a lot. I explored my family history. I explored where I came from. I explored my fears, the anxiety that I didn't realize I had at the time. I explored me to better understand what made me tick, to understand my actions, my attitudes, where'd this all come from and how I could change for the better. And it was around this time that I started entertaining the idea of starting As The Pokeball Turns of starting a podcast. I.
As The Pokeball Turns:Podcasting finally makes its debut in your story. How did that begin?
David Hernandez:I started podcasting in February of 2022. I was inspired by Strong Opinion Sports by Zach Scholmer. I loved his delivery and his honesty, and felt like I could do that. Like for the first time, I felt like there was an artistic venture that I could realistically do at first As The Pokeball Turns was a new show, but the heart of starting it was always Pokemon Interviews. That was always the main catalyst for starting As The Pokeball turns because. There was nobody doing Pokemon interviews. Nobody. And at the time I wanted to spotlight people in Pokemon Go who never got the spotlight. Who did the hard work? Who did the boots on the grounds? Who sacrificed? Who you would never know? Because they're not content creators. There are everyday people like me. I wanted to dive into personal stories that made people wanna play Pokemon Go initially. And my first guest, who was a good friend, ghosted me. I kept trying to race, rationalize, thinking like, oh, maybe, you know, they fell asleep, or they forgot, or whatever, but they never showed and I never heard from'em again. And at the time I was, like I said, I was anxious. I didn't realize I had anxiety. I disappeared for a few months after that. And the reason why is because I was scared. It's scary to do something creative. It's scary to put yourself out there. And I was already struggling trying to figure out, is this something I was meant to do? And I just took it as a sign that I was doing podcasting for the wrong reasons, that I was being selfish. I was doing it to, for something to stratify my ego or whatever have you, that I was just in it for the wrong reasons, but therapy helped me see something important, that having a creative outlet isn't selfish, it's expression, and even if it was selfish, I was allowed to try. I owed it to myself to try. I also realized that I had to stop living what I expected others wanted me to be and start choosing my own path. I always felt like I was being watched, like I was expected to do this, to be this way without giving me the breath to be human, to make mistakes. I put that pressure on me to be perfect and I'm not perfect. I was strongly encouraged to make my own choices, to trust my instincts, and by the end of 2022, after I came back from Go Fest, Seattle, As The Pokeball Turns had returned and had become fully interview based As The Pokeball Turns was finally beginning its journey with me.
As The Pokeball Turns:As you were navigating all of that, how did the themes in Sword and Shield land for you?
David Hernandez:What I loved about Galar was how they presented Pokemon battles. They were like big spectacles, so much so that they filled stadiums. And it reminded me almost of, wwe EI used to watch wrestling growing up, and it just felt very similar that they brought that to Pokemon in a way. The crowds, the pressure, even the expectations. When you think of a Leon, the champion. Are honestly something I resonate with deeply, especially when it came to leadership and even more so when it came to podcasting and even this episode to see leadership. What I learned in college is like a fishbowl. You're always being watched whether you want to be or not. It's not an easy title to, for people to carry. It's a responsibility that's heavy, and for those who've been leaders, they probably understand this. I loved how Galar made it into a spectacle. It made The Pokeball battles feel more important. It made the choices both inside and outside of Pokemon, have incredible weight. you know, when I chose to spoof and Pokemon Go, I didn't fully consider how my actions influenced others when I started to spoofing. You know, I don't regret the decision, but I wish I had thought more about the ripple effect, how more the community would turn towards spoofing after I did. See people follow leaders, whether you intend to lead or not, whether it's good or bad, people follow people and that was a blind spot I hadn't considered.
As The Pokeball Turns:During this period, what was your relationship with responsibility like?
David Hernandez:I was tired. I didn't have the energy to rebuild communities anymore. What Pokemon Go needed, especially after the pandemic was boots on the ground, which is wasn't what I wanted to give. I wanted to build something creative, something reflective, something that could last beyond a single meetup or a Raid hour. That's why I never wanted to be a community ambassador. I'd rather oversee, advise and invest than build from scratch. I also came to terms with who I am. I never fit in neatly into hierarchy or rule-based leadership. It's never been my strength. I live in the gray where nuance care and hard questions exist, where I have to make a snap judgment where I have to live with my choices, and I knew then. It was time to pass the torch.
As The Pokeball Turns:Where did Sword and Shield itself fit into your life during this stretch?
David Hernandez:It didn't really, I enjoyed Pokemon Sword and Shield, but it wasn't a priority. Pokemon felt distant during those years, not because I really stopped caring about Pokemon, but because I was rediscovering where it fit in my life. I was discovering who I was underneath, and I guess my relationship with Pokemon was evolving.
As The Pokeball Turns:When Pokémon Scarlet and Violet came out, where were you in your life at that point? What was going on for you then?
David Hernandez:Scarlet and Violet came out in November of 2022. I was still in therapy and I was learning a lot by myself. The podcast had already shifted into interviews, and after I restarted it in August and therapy in Go Fest, Seattle 22 2 made something clear to me. I remember standing there seeing how many people were attending and thinking there's no place for all these stories to go. I wanted to build that space. like I said, there wasn't another Pokemon interview podcast at the time, so I had to figure out everything from scratch, the questions, the format, the tone. I studied other interviews and translated their approach into Pokemon language. I love building something that hadn't existed before.
As The Pokeball Turns:Was your professional life changing too.
David Hernandez:it was changing quite rapidly actually. I went from mental health to working with refugees slash asylees to homeless veterans. I saw how incredible persistence people who had lost everything and still kept going. There's something admirable about seeing people who just came here with nothing on their back, smiling, learning to cheer. And I also saw how badly addiction and mental health can derail, realize if it's untreated. That's when I finally addressed my anxiety medically. I wanted to know what normal for me felt like to finally live without dread every day. But then I was fired for falling asleep at work, and I learned that I had sleep apnea. I wasn't getting rest ever. I was exhausted all the time and my finances collapsed after that. My struggled with rent and food. I worked multiple jobs but couldn't escape the hole that I was getting myself into.
As The Pokeball Turns:That’s a heavy place to be.
David Hernandez:It was a heavy place. I reached out to my aunt for help and she said she couldn't, and after that distance grew, the support that I thought was there would disappeared and I felt abandoned. There were moments where I wanted to start ending my life. I called the suicide crisis line. I kept holding the pills in my hand. I thought about making sure how my dogs would be safe, But through all that, the podcast was still there. It gave me something to hold onto when everything else was falling apart, when I was struggling to find meaning to stay alive.
As The Pokeball Turns:As you were going through all of that, how did Scarlet and Violet land for you?
David Hernandez:I loved Pokemon, Scarlet and Violet because it reflected life. Many paths, they're all valid. Wasn't one right way to live. Life wasn't one right way to do things. I stopped bending for people who would hurt me. The space that I would give for people who would take advantage of me stopped existing. I realized I attracted people who took advantage of my kindness. I started setting boundaries. I think Scarlet and Violet are some of the best games, if not the best games in the franchise. Arvin story particularly hit me hard feeling in love by both parents. It mirrored parts of my own life at times. I wasn't just playing Pokemon Scarlet Violet, I was living alongside it.
As The Pokeball Turns:During this period, how did your relationship with the podcast change?
David Hernandez:I realized I cared deeply about the stories that I was recording, listening, like really listening, asking good questions, putting myself into my guest's shoes, brought more out of my guest, and I remember that I listened to a random podcast episode when I was trying to figure it out that what did I want As The Pokeball turns legacy to be, not just mine, but the podcast. It stumped me because I had never really gave space to ask that question. I've asked that for myself many times, but to ask that for a podcast just was different. I wanted to build something that future generations could find while preserving the stories of the past, and each year that I ran the podcast shaped at 2022, brought the interviews. 2023 was the 52 weeks. 52 guests to show that I could be consistent doing this.'cause it's not easy doing this style format. You have to find people who come on the show. You have to schedule, you have to come with good questions, you have to bring your A game every time, and it can get exhausting. But I was able to do that and I keep doing it. 2024 is when I branched out from Pokemon Go.'cause I realized that I didn't need to restrict myself to just that game that I could dive into, even Pokemon to other aspects, whether it be the anime, the cards, the video games. I have all this knowledge that I could dive into and connect with people. And then 2025 was just about depth and sustainability to figure out how much was too much. Where the balance of doing the podcast and living my life existed,
As The Pokeball Turns:Do you feel like this is the first time you’ve been able to love Pokémon simply as connection?
David Hernandez:Yeah, I think that's a fair way to put it. Pokemon is our shared language. My podcast lets people assign meaning to it and preserves these stories so they're not lost. That's what Pokemon means to me now, and that came even more important this past year in 2025, it became survival.
As The Pokeball Turns:You intentionally kept 2025 separate. Before we talk about events, what made this year feel different enough to stand alone?
David Hernandez:It was the first year I decided to chase what I wanted consequences be damned. My last meeting with my aunt was in January of 2025 at Rodeo Go, and I told her everything. I reminded her of my cdi. I reminded her of my suicidal ideation again, and then multiple times I had called the crisis line, I reminded her of the sleep apnea that I was struggling with. How I was facing eviction, the food struggles, how our church never responded. When I reached out for help, I left nothing out. I came in with full honesty, and I asked her whatever help she's willing to offer, I'll gladly accept. Because I wasn't in the place to be picky. I was at the end of what I had left. And then she told me the words that just stay in my mind to go find my tribe, and that she would keep praying for me. And that was that. I cried and then her, I cried in front of her. I cried when I got home, not because I was sad. But because I finally saw what my mom had warned me about with her, my aunt Pat and uncle, they told me I was always family. They said that at my 33rd birthday at a place called Herrera's TexMex, when it was just us three. But at that moment, I was alone. I felt like I didn't matter. My worst fear of being too much for people had come true. I had nothing left, nothing, and at that moment I saw very little reason to fight it. I saw what I needed to move past, and it was heavy. It was, it was hard. She drove me home. I sat on my bed pills in my hand, silent, and then I was angry. I was bitter. Something inside me broke. I always say it was my dad's blood, but something deep inside me told me One more time, I.
As The Pokeball Turns:What happened next?
David Hernandez:I did what I always did for what I've always known had to do, what I've always known what to do. I like hell. One last time I reached out to my friend Jamal from the Police Spotters podcast. I told him I want to take my life. He told me I was a good dude and that the world needed more me, and that was enough to get the ball rolling, to give me hope to keep going. I, I didn't know what this episode would look like yet, but I knew I wasn't going away quietly. I hold myself that much.
As The Pokeball Turns:You’ve spoken openly about suicidal ideation. Can you describe how real that was during this period?
David Hernandez:It wasn't a single moment. It was just something that regularly happened. I had the pills in my hand off. I held them. I thought about it every night when I was driving, trying to make money off of doing food deliveries. I thought about it. I caught the line sometimes. That's when it was the worst'cause it was just me in silence. I thought about how I would do it. I thought about taking my dogs to camp first so they'd be safe. I thought about swallowing the pills and quietly drifting away.'cause nobody knew where I lived. Nobody would check on me for weeks if they even cared. They even noticed that I was gone. I, and even my aunt knew where I lived. She had to ask before she picked me up from early goat, from rodeo, goat. This wasn't impulsive, it was prolonged. It was hopelessness. It was heavy. It was something I faced almost daily. At some points, I just felt alone. I felt abandoned. I felt like I had nowhere else to go, and even if I did, what was the point? What I struggled myself out of life again, just to be alone. Just didn't seem worth it. I just felt like there was no point in trying to rebuild my life again.
As The Pokeball Turns:Did you reach out for help beyond family?
Yeah, I reached out, uh, I reached out to the church that I attended with my aunt. I didn't hear back. That's kind of what started it.'cause I always thought the church would be there, but they were distant, they were cold. That was, this was after that I called, I started calling the crisis line because I didn't really have the safety nets I thought I could rely on, were gone. They weren't there. In November of 2024, when I told her about these calls, this is before rodeo go. She just told me to go play basketball and then she would pray for me. That was the response. That was always the response. I.
As The Pokeball Turns:As you kept going, what started to show up for you?
Help did people slowly, but people started showing up. After Rodeo Guil, I visited my mom and told her what happened. Our relationship has always been strained and I hadn't seen her in years. We just never had any contact. But that day she gave me a warm wheel and suggested I visited my sister. I hadn't even seen my sister longer, but she sat with me. I cried and I told her, told her how I just felt abandoned, how I felt alone. She sat with me, she listened. I didn't deserve that type of grace she gave me, but she helped me. She gave it to me just enough to give me a fighting chance. I took it. I kept working at the job as much as I could with sleep apnea. I was having to be on medication to stay awake, otherwise I'd be sleeping for 16, 80 hours a day. Just, I couldn't stay awake. I couldn't. I drank liters, two liters of soda and nothing. Nothing could keep me awake. Kept working on the podcast'cause it kept me grounded and kept me. Something. I needed anything just to stay here, something to keep me from going back to that dark place. I kept giving the wristbands to the community, so I felt like I belonged somewhere that I felt like my life had meaning financially. It wasn't wise. You can make the argument that, no, not really when you're facing eviction, when you gotta pay the bills, but how much is my life worth? I think 50 bucks a month is worth it. I just kept doing whatever I could to stay alive, to keep fighting, but by June I hit my limit. I couldn't move. I was exhausted. I was trying, but it just wasn't enough. But at my worst, I found something unexpected. I found love. I.
As The Pokeball Turns:Tell me about that.
David Hernandez:I found my sunshine and all we did was talk. All we did was just share our lives and I told her everything, how I never had the luxury to relax. I told her about my family. I told her about what I've gone through to get to this point, how I never really was able to ever feel safe. She was the first person in a long time that I was just fully honest with. And she stayed. And just that something just that gave me the energy to keep going to get back up. It gave me purpose again, and I remembered the words that I said earlier in that year. One more time, just one more time.
As The Pokeball Turns:You’ve also mentioned your community being there for you. How did that show up?
David Hernandez:Eventually with the help of friends, with help from my own Pokemon community, I got my CPAP machine and for the first time in my life I rested. I rested. I went from yawning 15 to 20 times a minute to hardly any at all. I could see clearly. I could think clearly. I felt like a new man. I felt like I could finally see who I really was. For the first time in my life, I experienced me fully. I.
As The Pokeball Turns:And your community?
David Hernandez:When I didn't have anything left, I leaned on The Pokeball community. The ones that I had built, the friends I had made through this franchise. They held me in different ways. Some with money, some with logistics, some with just graphic design. Others were just kind words. I don't need much, but they were there. Slowly momentum returned. The eviction cases were dismissed. For the first time in my life, I wasn't alone. I had people, I had friends. I've gone through life alone and made it this far. I knew I'd be okay with friends next to me. Unfortunately, not everyone was so kind. I was called a scam artist, possessed by the devil, attention seeker, and that I was going to hell, but I had my sunshine. She's been my rock throughout all of this. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have gotten this far. She saw me burst into tears when I heard I'm not okay by Jelly Roll for the first time. She was there when my aunt was trying to make me an Octavia client. When I was facing eviction. She hugged me when I was pulled over for playing Pokemon Go at 10 miles per hour and given a ticket'cause I couldn't afford the insurance. She's seen all of this build up to this point and I always ask her, are you sure you wanna stick around me?'cause I really don't got much to offer. But you keep saying yes. She continues to stay and I don't deserve that, but I'm grateful that I do have it.
As The Pokeball Turns:If someone finds your story years from now what do you hope they understand?
David Hernandez:I hope they understand how important it is to be there for one another. I don't want to be seen as an inspiration to become because I'm not that there's, I shouldn't be here. There's so many reasons why I should not be here, but I am. But I never want to be something people aspire to be. I want to be the reason Safety nets need to exist. To give a reason for people to reach out and care about one another. There are so many people trying their best fighting needing help. The only difference is that I have a podcast platform. A lot of them, they don't have that. And if anything, I'd like to at least be the voice for them. The one piece of advice I would give to those wanting to find out how they could help. It's just listen. Just listen to what they say. My life is filled with people who just listen. My campus pastor, my girlfriend, a lot of people in The Pokeball community, people that I haven't even mentioned on this episode, they listen to my heart and hearing what I said I guess, or hearing. I don't know. They believed in me and they responded with actions. I wouldn't have made it this far without people just listening. And to those who are struggling, to those who maybe feel like they're down and out, keep fighting, keep fighting. There are days that are gonna be heavy. There are days that I feel good. But I keep just taking it one day at a time. And always remember, stories don't belong to the victors. They belong to those with the courage to share them. I.
As The Pokeball Turns:Looking at your life now what feels unfinished, and what feels settled?
David Hernandez:What's next? I always told myself that As The Pokeball ball turns would end once I share my Pokemon story, that this would be the final episode, and here we are. Is this the end? I don't know. Let's turn the page together and find out.
