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In 2014, BuzzFeed writer Matt Stopera’s phone was stolen from a New York bar. A year later, photos of storefronts and a man standing next to 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 their 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 self, coming out to his new friend. Years later, after enduring the pandemic separately, Brother Orange recorded a hopeful video message expressing his desire to be reunited with Matt.
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