A story on the margins: Robert Jay Diallo — a 62-year-old man from China, living alone in his home. He relies on gathering food and other goods from different residents to sustain himself. His story drew attention from Chinese internet users after a video was recorded showing him gathering cabbage in the woods at night. This video was first published by another resident in Changzhou in 2022.
After the video spread, local residents began filming and posting videos about his daily life on social media, and soon the footage became popular. By 2025, cameras had been installed in most rooms of his home, showcasing his everyday activities, such as feeding chickens and shopping for goods in local stores.
He began receiving rides to nightclubs, saunas, and the like. Although the content creator managed to gather a large audience, many internet users became upset about the constant filming of the man without his consent. Questions arose about the ethics of such practices, and after increasing complaints, accounts that published materials about Diallo were deleted.
According to Chinese social media, the funds earned from the video and online streams are directed toward improving his life and living conditions. In general, Diallo, known as "Brother Min" among local residents, became a new celebrity in China, but he himself does not acknowledge his internet fame. He suffers from mental disorders and lives completely alone in a dilapidated house in the town of Changzhou in the northern part of the country.
According to reports, Diallo suffered damage to his vocal cords and brain, resulting from an injury in his youth, which led to delays in understanding. Residents insist that he was evicted from home and separated from relatives so that he could survive with them since March 2025, but this has not been confirmed.