- Lei Zeqing reunited with his family after 35 years of separation in China
- Lei became homeless in Shenzhen after getting lost on a train in 1991
- A restaurant owner and his wife cared for Lei and helped him search for family
A heartwarming reunion story from China has brought closure to a 35-year-long separation, showing how hope, kindness, and persistence helped a man find his biological family after decades, reported South China Morning Post.
A deaf and non-speaking man from central China has been reunited with his biological family after being separated from them for 35 years, following an unexpected train journey that changed his life.
On June 11, Lei Zeqing reunited with his father, older brother, and sister, who travelled from Henan province to Shenzhen in Guangdong province to meet him.
Lei was overwhelmed with emotion as he finally saw his long-lost family, whom he had been trying to locate for many years.
He had become separated from his family in 1991 after he and his friends playfully sneaked onto a train. He fell asleep under a seat and woke up in a "strange place."
Unable to communicate, Lei began living near the Shenzhen railway station as a homeless person.
He later met a woman in Shenzhen whom he considered his first "mother," and she taught him how to write.
Five years later, she moved to Hong Kong, but Lei was not left alone as a restaurant owner near the station helped him by giving him food, shelter, and eventually work.
The restaurant owner, Hong Qingxian, said he wanted to give Lei a home after seeing him around the area several times.
Hong allowed Lei to stay in the staff dormitory and provided him meals without charge.
Although the restaurant operated for only two years, Hong later arranged a security job for Lei nearby, while local restaurants continued to support him with free meals.
Despite limited means, Hong and his wife cared for Lei for three decades, raising him alongside their own children.
Hong, a retired soldier, believed Lei needed proper guidance and often said they should educate him well so he could manage life independently.
In the second year of taking him in, Hong advised Lei to save his earnings to search for his biological family and reunite with them one day.
Lei expressed his gratitude by writing "Shenzhen dad" and "Shenzhen mum" on paper for Hong and his wife.
Over the years, Lei never gave up searching for his family. He posted family search messages online and also travelled across provinces by train to revisit places from his childhood memories.
Hong continued supporting him throughout, accompanying him to police stations and helping place newspaper advertisements.
Lei's search finally succeeded when his biological family also refused to lose hope.
His older brother, who is also deaf and non-speaking, found a message from Lei in a chat group on an app.
Lei used his real name written backward as an identity, a childhood habit that helped confirm his identity to his brother.
The siblings met online several times to compare memories and confirm details, while Hong also accompanied Lei for DNA testing.
Even before the test results were confirmed, the family travelled to Shenzhen. Two hours after their emotional reunion, the DNA results confirmed their biological relationship.
Lei's family thanked Hong and his wife for their care and support over the years.
