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In 2014, BuzzFeed writer Matt Stopera’s phone was stolen from a bar in NYC. A year later, photos of storefronts and a man next to an orange tree mysteriously appeared in his iPhoto stream. Matt wrote an article about it, and overnight, it went viral in China, where internet users identified the man as “Brother Orange.” Invited to China, Matt became an instant celebrity, and as media followed their every move, he and Brother Orange formed a deep friendship that transcended cultural and language barriers. When Brother Orange visited Matt in the US, Matt felt proud to reveal his full self by coming out to his new friend. Years later, after enduring the pandemic apart, Brother Orange recorded a hopeful video message, expressing his wish to reunite with Matt.
