18/15
In 2014, BuzzFeed writer Matt Stopera’s phone was stolen from a bar in New York. A year later, photos of storefronts and a man 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 netizens identified the man as “Brother Orange.” Matt was invited to China and became an instant celebrity. 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 coming out to his new friend. Years later, after weathering the pandemic apart, Brother Orange recorded a hopeful video message expressing his desire to get back together with Matt.