Mehran Karimi Nasseri (1945 – 12 November 2022)
(USA TODAY) – The Iranian man who inspired the Steven Spielberg
film "The Terminal” died in Paris’ Charles-de-Gaulle airport after
living there for almost two decades, French officials said today.
Mehran Karimi Nasseri, a political refugee, died after a heart attack
in the airport’s Terminal 2F, Paris airport authority officials reported.
Police and a medical team treated Nasseri but were not able to
save him, an airport spokesperson told Agence France-Presse
news agency.
Nasseri, who the Guardian reported called himself "Sir Alfred,"
got caught in an immigration trap in the late 80s – unable to
enter France. Born in 1945, Nasseri, lived in the airport’s
Terminal 1 from 1988 until 2006, first in legal limbo because he
lacked residency papers then later by choice, USA TODAY
archives show.
Tom Hanks in the Steven Spielberg film, The Terminal ( 2004)