I actually called her, and we talked on the phone for a couple hours. She was going to college also. Like many online chatters, Grady was careful about revealing his real name and only gave it to people whom he had gotten to know well. While online, Grady said he was even able to participate in a chat room wedding. I don't know if the couple were actual people who were steadily dating in real life or not.
Anonymity is one of the advantages of chatting online.
People become whomever they want to be. That freedom can loosen inhibitions for shy people. If someone is more reserved in real life, they can be more relaxed online. They may be a little insecure about how they look or maybe they are shy. But you are not dealing with looks online, and they can be more open and more aggressive.