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A Man Once Lived in an Airport for 18 Years
A man lived in a Paris airport for 18 years due to a legal loophole. Discover the true story behind the real-life Terminal and why he chose to stay.
Rare Viral Facts
7/22/20251 min read
In 1988, Mehran Karimi Nasseri, an Iranian refugee, arrived at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris… and he never left.
After a paperwork issue, he was stuck in legal limbo — unable to enter France, but also unable to return to Iran. So, he set up camp in the terminal and stayed there for 18 years.
He slept on a bench, showered in the airport bathroom, and spent his days reading, writing in his diary, and watching travelers come and go.
Nasseri became a sort of celebrity, and his story eventually inspired the Tom Hanks movie The Terminal.
Even when he was finally given legal permission to leave — he chose to stay.
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