Dying father wants help to find long-lost daughter abroad
Weeks later, thousands of netizens in China and US have reposted the letter on social media, hoping it would attract the daughter's attention.
The father, Sang Dequn, has suffered from gastric cancer for more than a year, according to his letter. He had to undergo multiple surgeries and was in poor shape physically. Three-quarters of his stomach has been removed, he said.
Before another operation on February 20, he dictated the letter to his sister who helped him write it.
According to the letter, Sang and his ex-wife divorced 24 years ago, leaving him estranged from their then five-year-old daughter, nicknamed "Maomao".
He used to see Maomao by visiting her school in Hangzhou - until one day the teacher told him that she had already left with her mother to Shaoxing.
"I couldn’t find you all these years, no matter how I tried," Sang wrote, “I have always been guilty about [what happened to] you. Please know that your father has always loved you."
“Whenever I think of you, I still secretly shed tears. The tie between father and daughter can never be truly separated - you will understand that some day, when you become a parent,” he continued.
Sang recently found out that Maomao had moved to the United States over 20 years ago with her mother. She changed her name from Sang-wu to Wu-hong, using her mother’s last name.
A friend of Sang's ex-wife said Mamao graduated from Stanford University and currently works in the finance industry.
“Your father has a lot more to tell you… May God have mercy and let us reunite before my time is over. If not, I will bless you in heaven.”
Sang calls for help in finding his daughter Wu-hong, who was born on November 9, 1984. A friend of Sang’s uploaded the letter to an online forum on the eve of Lantern Festival, in the hope of reaching Wu via the Internet.
The letter touched the hearts of many Internet users. Most netizens were sympathetic: “The clock is ticking… nothing can't be forgiven when a man is dying,” one said.
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