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 previous.

Nasseri died from a coronary heart assault within the airport’s Terminal 2F round noon, officers mentioned. A medical group and police handled him, however had been unable to avoid wasting 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 residing 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 Jap European man who’s caught in New York‘s JFK Airport when he’s denied entry to the US. Within the movie, a navy coup in his house nation prevents the person from returning house. It did $219 million worldwide on the field workplace.

Nasseri’s story was extra difficult. He was flying from Brussels to London through 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 varied charity shelters. The AP reported he had just lately resumed residing on the airport. It was unclear whether or not he had a supply of revenue.