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In 2014, BuzzFeed writer Matt Stopera’s phone was stolen from a bar in New York City. A year later, photos of storefronts and a man standing near an orange tree mysteriously appeared in his iPhoto feed. Matt wrote an article about it, and overnight it went viral in China, where netizens identified the man as “Brother Orange.” Invited to China, Matt became an instant celebrity, and as the media followed his every move, he and Brother Orange formed a deep friendship that transcended cultural and language barriers. When Brother Orange visited Matt in the U.S., Matt felt compelled to reveal his full identity to his new friend. Years later, after riding out the pandemic separately, Brother Orange recorded a hopeful video message expressing his desire to reunite with Matt.
