A young black American braved the long flight distance to meet his dream lover in China, but it ended in tears and almost a tragedy.

Prati, from Ohio, born in June, 1996, began exchanging messages with a Chinese woman named Xiaoqian (alias) from east China's Jiangshan City on a social network website, Qianjiang Evening News reported.

After a video chat, he found that Xiaoqian was not only easy on the eyes, but could also speak fluent English, and sometimes even used some American slang. Thoroughly impressed, he decided to meet the woman.

Prati arrived in Southern China's Xiamen City on Jan. 19 and managed to meet Xiaoqian in Jiangshan just before the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) holiday that began on Feb. 18 this year.

Prati refused to give any details about the meeting. On New Year's Eve, a time when almost all Chinese families get together, however, Prati was all alone in Jiangshan feeling very lonely and and helpless. He called Xiaoqian numerous times, but she refused to meet him again.

Then, the young man bought a bottle of Chinese Baijiu (white liquor) to drown his sorrows; after drinking it, however, he collapsed near the Qiantang River.

A police officer from the city rushed to the site only to find Prati lying on the stairs near the river with a suitcase near him. "He was very close to the water and could easily have fallen into the water," the officer said.

With only about 60 yuan (about US$9) in his pocket, Prati was sent to a local hospital. He kept crying after sobering up. The police officer told Prati that Spring Festival was a time for family reunion, so probably that was why Xiaoqian didn't want to meet him.

After the young man contacted his parents in the U.S., they promised to send him some money so he could return home as soon as possible.

Police in Jiangshan confirmed that Prati boarded a U.S.-bound plane at Shanghai Pudong International Airport on Feb. 21.

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