Iranian Man Who Impressed Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks Movie ‘The Terminal’ Dies At Airport – Deadline

Merhan Karimi Nasseri, an Iranian man who lived for 18 years in Paris’s Charles de Gaulle Airport and impressed the Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks movie The Terminal, died Saturday on the airport, officers mentioned. He was believed to be 80 years outdated.

Nasseri died from a coronary heart assault within the airport’s Terminal 2F round noon, officers mentioned. A medical workforce and police handled him, however had been unable to save lots of him.

Nasseri lived within the airport’s Terminal 1 from 1988 till 2006. He was in authorized limbo at first as a result of he lacked residency papers, however later stayed on on the airport by selection. He had been dwelling within the airport once more in latest weeks, officers mentioned.

His saga impressed The Terminal, a 2004 movie starring Tom Hanks, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Stanley Tucci.

The movie modified the real-life occasions into the story of an Japanese European man who’s caught in New York‘s JFK Airport when he’s denied entry to america. Within the movie, a navy coup in his residence nation prevents the person from returning residence. It did $219 million worldwide on the field workplace.

Nasseri’s story was extra difficult. He was flying from Brussels to London by way of Paris. However he misplaced his refugee passport and was denied entry to France. Thus, he took up residence within the transit space of Terminal 1 at Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport.

He stayed there till July 2006, when he was hospitalized, and upon restoration was transferred amongst numerous charity shelters. The AP reported he had just lately resumed dwelling on the airport. It was unclear whether or not he had a supply of revenue.