I'm sorry that you've lost a good friend. Life without those kinds of relationships is real lonely and I empathize.

My two cents: I think if you continue trying to meet people online to help ease the pain you're going through right now, it's only going to make things worse in the long run.

Do you feel you may have set unhealthy boundaries and unhealthy expectations in friendships? To me the kind of attachment you have for your online friend would be more appropriate if it were someone you've had a lifelong friendship with or maybe an intimate lifelong partner such as your husband.