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In 2014, BuzzFeed journalist Matt Stoper had his phone 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 on his iPhoto stream. Matt wrote an article about it that went viral in China, where internet users identified the man as “Brother Orange.” Invited to China, Matt became an instant celebrity, with media following their every move. A deep friendship developed between Matt and Brother Orange that transcended cultural and language barriers. When Brother Orange visited Matt in the U.S., Matt felt the need to show off his personality and go out on the town with his new friend. Years later, after they had weathered the pandemic separately, Brother Orange recorded a hopeful video message expressing his desire to meet up with Matt again.
