It has been a few days since Chinese internet celebrity and photographer Lu Daosen (鹿道森), real name Zhou Peng (周鹏) disappeared from Weibo. Netizens were rightfully concerned as his last message was a suicide note.
Many, including his mother, have been hoping that he is alright. Unfortunately, the police confirmed his death yesterday (1st November). His body was reportedly found near Pratas Island.
Lu Daosen was known for his skill in photography. He was often seen working in Shanghai and Hangzhao with models. In fact, according to Xuan, his work has appeared in Vogue before. Although beloved by fans, he raised alarms after posting a suicide note on Weibo on 28th November.
Lu Daosen detailed a long goodbye in his post, stating this was the last time he would ever introduce himself. The 26-year-old shared that he often felt unloved, thanks to the fact that he had been left to relatives when he was a child. Things didn’t improve when he got older. Lu was apparently bullied in school as people felt he lacked masculinity. “It’s a wonderful world, however, I know this is not (meant) for me,” the photographer ended.
His friend who saw the note was concerned Lu may attempt to take his own life. He reported the issue to the police, however, it was too late. Lu had apparently planned his leaving by then. Lu gave up the house he was renting, got rid of his photography equipment and had already packed his luggage to be sent home.
The police started a manhunt for the Weibo blogger, hoping to find him before he did anything drastic. Lu’s friends and relatives also began a search group, holding onto hope that Lu was alright. According to the investigation, Lu had last been seen on a mountain path in Xiaowushitang.
However, the police quickly switched their search locations on 29th November. Apparently, someone had reported finding a grey windbreaker on the beach reef, south of the mountain at Zhujiajian. They confirmed that the windbreaker belonged to Lu as his phone was found in its pockets.
Lu’s body was eventually found by fishermen on 1st December. They reported the body to the police who then confirmed his identity with his family. Police released a post announcing his passing and stated that investigations showed it was not a homicide.
His passing has left many saddened, including his loyal fans and family. Weibo netizens have been posting goodbyes and wishing him well in the next world. However, no one is more devastated than Lu’s mother. Prior to the confirmation of Lu’s body, she said, “Even if (the body was) really found, I would rather (we) never find him. Even if I spend a lot of time missing him, it is better than such an (unchangeable) result.”
We hope his family finds peace with his passing and would like to offer our condolences. As many other netizens have said, it’s regretful that we only knew about Lu after he was gone.
Sources: Xuan, Teller Report, Sina, Weibo
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