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In 2014, BuzzFeed writer Matt Stopera’s phone was stolen from a bar in NYC. A year later, photos of facades and a man standing 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 with the media following their every move, he and Brother Orange formed a deep friendship that transcended cultural and language barriers. When Brother Orange visited Matt in the United States, Matt felt compelled to reveal his full self by coming out to his new friend. Years later, after enduring the pandemic in isolation, Brother Orange recorded a hopeful video message expressing his desire to reunite with Matt.

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