Chinese man who ran away because he failed college is reunited with his family after 16 years missing

November 19, 2021

A Chinese man who ran away because he failed college due to video game addiction is now back with his family after finding out they reported him missing 16 years ago.

He is back: A video posted by Xiashi News shows the emotional reunion between Wang, 39, and his family in Xi’an city, located in China’s Shaanxi Province, on Tuesday, according to Business Insider. The clip showed Wang crying on his knees while apologizing to his mother, whom he last spoke to in 2005.

Wang stopped communicating with his family, who lived 10 hours away in Shandong Province, out of embarrassment after becoming addicted to video games and failing college in 2005. He was a student at Chang’an University, one of China’s top-ranking universities.
Speaking to Chinese media, Wang’s father reportedly dedicated a lot of time looking for his son in Xi’an. He recalled spending almost a week twice a year checking the streets and internet cafes hoping to find him. Wang’s mother, however, had already prepared herself for the worst when Wang continued to stay missing.
“We hadn’t heard from him for so long, and it made me unhappy every day to think about what could have happened to him,” his mother said. “But I don’t blame him. I am just happy to see him again.”

How it happened: Wang worked odd jobs in the city, which did not require him to register to the local government office. However, he only heard about his family back in Shandong after he renewed his ID.

Government officials reportedly contacted Wang’s family after discovering a missing report case filed 16 years ago in their home province.

Featured Image via 真相記

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