50/19
In 2014, BuzzFeed writer Matt Stoper’s phone was stolen from a bar in New York City. A year later, images of facades and a man next to an orange tree mysteriously appeared in his iPhoto stream. Matt wrote an article about it, and it went viral overnight 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 U.S., Matt felt compelled to reveal his full self by going out with his new friend. Years later, after Brother Orange had been living through the pandemic in isolation, he recorded a hopeful video message expressing his desire to reunite with Matt.
