The Homeless Physicist of New York: Heartbreaking Story of a Chinese Genius

Dr. Sun Weidong, a genius physicist who has fallen from grace to homelessness, lives on the streets of Brooklyn, New York, begging for survival./Lu Zhongchenbao.

If someone has the credentials to enter Fudan University’s prestigious physics department in Shanghai at 16 and heads to the United States at 19 to earn a Ph.D. in nuclear physics within nine years, their achievements undoubtedly deserve admiration. Moreover, when you factor in their impressive monthly salary of $100,000 in a highly sought-after position and the publication of 32 papers in the Science Citation Index (SCI), it’s safe to assert that this individual qualifies as a genius-level talent

However, the current situation of the Chinese man has taken a rather grim turn. He is now a homeless man wandering the streets of Brooklyn, New York. It’s a shocking turn of events for a man who could have won a Nobel Prize without anyone raising an eyebrow.

Dr. Sun (third from the left in the front row), who entered Fudan University early after graduating top of his class from his alma mater. Mental illness is indeed a frightening disease./Lu Zhongchenbao.

According to various media reports, the man who has been breaking the hearts of many Chinese people since the beginning of the year, Dr. Sun Weidong (55), is originally from Jiangyin, Jiangsu Province, and was well-known as a prodigy from a young age. It was only natural that he would enter Fudan University early after graduating top of his class from a prestigious high school in his hometown. His subsequent career was equally successful.

However, a sudden and unfortunate turn of events occurred 16 years ago when he began displaying signs of mental illness. He lived on the streets following a divorce from his Chinese wife, with whom he had built a life and a family locally. Currently, he endures a challenging existence, resorting to begging and surviving near a subway station in Brooklyn. In Chinese terms, he now resides far from his former life as a Wall Street elite earning $100,000 monthly.

Naturally, this news has gained significant attention among the alums of Fudan University, both in the United States and China, since the beginning of the year. There are indications of fundraising and repatriation efforts underway to assist. Given the current atmosphere, there’s a high likelihood that he will receive some form of support. However, a full recovery might not be easily attainable, as his mental illness appears to be in a severe state. The contrast between being a genius and experiencing homelessness is not as stark as one might assume.

By. Soon Do Hong