It is difficult to comprehend what it must be like to lose a child. This is the sad reality for Guo Gantang, a man who spends 18 years on the road, travelling 400,000km in search for his abducted son.

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On September 21, 1997 his two year old boy, Guo Zhen was abducted from the front gate of his home in Liaocheng, Shandong Province, China. The only eyewitness was a little girl the boy was playing with at the time. She said that Zhen was snatched by a middle-aged woman.

Since then, the heartbroken father has dedicated his life to the search for his son. Guo has travelled over 400,000 km and has visited every Chinese province. He has been on the road so long he has worn out 10 motorcycles.

Travelling alone for all these years, Guo continues in the hope that someone might just recognise the missing boy, or have some information as to where he might be. Two flags fly from his motorbike at all times; both contain prints of old photographs of his son from when he was two.

This heart-breaking story has received some much needed media attention in recent weeks, due the similar subject matter of a movie called Lost and Love, starring Andy Lau. The movie, along with buzz of social media is helping bring public awareness to Guo’s tragic story.

In the near two decades that Guo has been on the road, he has managed to help other parents with missing children. Through his searching and following up of information he has helped reunite a total of 8 families.

Money is a constant issue for Guo, as he is unable to work while he searches. “There have been times where I have less than 5 cents in my pocket,” he told reporters. But he simply refuses to give up hope. “I keep telling myself, maybe tomorrow Guo come back,” he said.

Let’s hope that the attention Guo is now getting, will bring him one step closer to reuniting with his son.