43/13
In 2014, BuzzFeed writer Matt Stopper’s phone was stolen from a bar in New York City. 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, which went viral overnight in China, where netizens identified the man as “Brother Orange.” Invited to China, Matt instantly became a celebrity, and as the media followed his every move, he and Brother Orange developed a deep friendship that transcended cultural and language barriers. When Brother Orange visited Matt in the U.S., Matt felt the need to come clean to his new friend. Years later, after surviving the pandemic in isolation, Brother Orange recorded an encouraging video message expressing his desire to reunite with Matt.