Girl Travels Europe with Cardboard Cutout of Late Father

Jinna Yang, a 25-year-old Chinese girl born in Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.A., went on a trek through Europe carrying a cardboard cutout of her father, who died from cancer two years ago.

She quit her fashion job in New York City, gave up her apartment, sold most of her clothes and brought her “father” with her as she traveled across Europe, in order to take him to all the countries he wanted to visit, while he was alilve. She put the pictures online in hopes of spurring others to follow their dreams and aspirations.

“I want the world to know who my dad was,” Yang explains. And, thanks to her creative homage, people approached her as she traveled, asking about the cutout and wanting to know more about her and her project. It led to strangers sharing their own stories of grief and loss. “That’s the great thing about traveling,” she says. “It really was healing for me.”

Now, Yang is planning her next trip, this time to Spain and Croatia. And, of course, dad will be right there with her.

Le Louvre, in Paris, France; according to Yang, her father ran a dry-cleaning business in Norfolk, Virginia, where he worked for 12 hours a day for six days per week. (Photo: CFP)

Jinna Yang posing with her the cardboard cutout of her father in front of the Blue Lagoon in Iceland. (Photo: CFP)

Colloseo, in Rome, Italy; according to Yang, before deciding to go the trip with her father she ‘lost the will to live’ and felt ‘hopeless’. (Photo: CFP)

The Eiffel Tower, in Paris, France; on her blog, Yang claimed to sell most of her possessions in order to fund the trip. (Photo: CFP)

The Italian Riviera, in Levanto, Italy; Yang has been sharing the pictures from her trip on her blog. (Photo: CFP)

The Gullfoss Waterfall, in Iceland; Yang gave up her corporate position, which she claims on her blog paid her very well, and instead bought a one-way ticket to Iceland. (Photo: youth.cn)

The Leaning Tower, in Pisa, Italy; Yang said that before deciding to go on the trip, she had developed alopecia and lost hair. (Photo: youth.cn)

Skogafoss Waterfall, in Iceland; according to Yang, ‘Even though he is not here in the flesh, I knew he was with us in spirit.’ (Photo: youth.cn)

St. Paul’s Catheral, in London, U.K; according to Yang, “my father never had the chance to travel the world. He sacrificed his entire life for others – his parents, his children, his wife, his family and his friends.” (Photo: youth.cn)

Jinna Yang poses with her father, who was a certified professional PGA golfer. Sadly, he never found an opportunity to begin playing professional golf. (Photo: Jinna Yang/youth.cn)

Source: CRI