After 24 years of hunting in China, a man was finally reunited with his kidnapped son and distributed flyers for missing persons, draining his savings and burdening him with huge debts.
In 1997, after 51-year-old Guo Gangtang was kidnapped from his home in a village in eastern Shandong Province, he began searching for his 2-year-old son.
After initial efforts did not find the trace of his son, Guo did not give up and began a decades-long search.
Guo traveled to China on a motorcycle, with a portrait of his lost son hanging on the national flag and carrying a bag full of flyers.
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According to the state media Xinhua News Agency, in June, the police found a man who met his son’s description in central Henan Province. After DNA testing confirmed their relationship, a family reunion with the 26-year-old son Guo Xinzhen, who is now a teacher, was arranged on Sunday.
In January this year, the Ministry of Public Security launched a nationwide campaign against child trafficking cases, and Guo’s son was found.
This year, the police have found and rescued 2,609 missing or abducted children, including adults who went missing or abducted as children. One victim was traced 61 years later.
Guo’s motorcycle rides about 500,000 kilometers (311,000 miles), taking him to most provinces in China. He also rode 10 motorcycles.
In 2012, Guo founded the “Tianya Seeking Family” website, which means “find your family on the edge of the world”. He told local media that since then, he has helped dozens of people find their families.
The story of Guo Gangtang has been widely reported by the local media for many years and inspired the 2015 hit movie “Lost and Love” starring Chinese superstar Andy Lau, playing a role modelled on Guo.
“I found my son and I want to return to normal life as soon as possible,” Guo said in a video on his Tiktok social media page on Tuesday.
