People Found Living In Bizarre Places

Here are some folks found living in bizarre places!

June 28, 2023・

18 min read

From shoebox-sized apartments to literal mansions, our dwellings come in all different shapes and sizes. However, beyond the realms of real estate, some people have gotten pretty creative with what they call “home”. From grocery stores and sewers to the amazing story of a man who lived in an airport for 18 years, let's discover some of the most bizarre places people have been found living.

Mehran Karimi Nasseri, The Terminal Man

With over 69 million passengers bustling through its terminals each year, Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport is the 2nd busiest in Europe. And, like any airport, delays are bound to happen, only, one man was left waiting in terminal one for 18 years. Meet Mehran Karimi Nasseri or, rather, the man who lived in terminal one of Charles de Gaulle airport from 1988 to 2006.

But his frankly unbelievable story started much earlier than that, all the way back in 1977. This was a point in history when tensions in Iran were at a boiling point, with the Iranian revolution right around the corner! This was a conflict of freedom that ultimately resulted in the downfall of the Shah monarchy in 1979.

The Iranian government attempted to evade this inevitability in the years beforehand by expelling treasonous citizens, even those, such as Mehran, who merely partook in protests. Exiled and only able to file for temporary refugee papers, Mehran had no real choice but to wander Europe until 1981 when he was admitted entry by the Belgian government.

Eventually, they awarded him refugee status in 1988, allowing him to dwell in select European countries. And being half British himself, and having spent time there in 1973 to study, Mehran thought of no better place to reside than the UK. The plan was a go. Only, while en route, he accidentally lost all his essential documents!

He couldn’t prove who he was, nor prove he had legal refugee status. Without them, he couldn’t legally enter or exit any country, and so was stranded at Charles de Gaulle in Paris! As an exile with no refugee status, there seemed to be nowhere Mehran could legally dwell, so the French court ruled he could stay, under one condition: he stay strictly within the grounds of the airport.

So, an airport is considered an “international space”, meaning that it is not defined as a country, therefore you don’t require any legal documents to live or roam within it. However, you also can’t leave it without the proper papers.

Belgium offered to have new documents made for him, but the laws and authorities required him to be there in person to prove who he really was. And so, stuck in this surreal airport limbo, Mehran’s life at terminal one began.

He started leading a very simple existence. He’d set himself up in a corner of the airport with all his possessions, and would proceed to read, people-watch, and would allegedly do small jobs to earn just enough money for food. And when it came to personal hygiene, he had no option but to use the public restrooms for everything.

And what made this all the more difficult was that Mehran didn’t know a single word of French. But despite his unenviable position, that didn’t stop him from adopting the new name of ‘Sir, Alfred Mehran.’ And that comma isn’t a typo, he incorporated both the title and comma into his name from a mistake in a letter he’d received from British Immigration.

Days turned to weeks, weeks turned to years, and Mehran remained in his little airport alcove. It wasn’t until 1995, 7 years later, that Belgium finally found a way to offer Mehran residency without needing to see him in person. Astonishingly, Mehran declined this, stating he wanted to enter the UK as he originally intended.

Then in 1999, France came in with an offer, but their documents classified him as Iranian and not British. Plus, they hadn’t used his preferred name of ‘Sir, Alfred Mehran’. So, once again, it was no deal. He was either going to leave on his own terms or not at all!

By 2003, an offer came that Mehran couldn’t refuse. Legendary director Steven Spielberg was making a movie called ‘The Terminal,’ starring Tom Hanks and Catherine Zeta-Jones, which was inspired by Mehran’s story. And, allegedly, Spielberg wanted to buy the rights to it for $250,000!

However, this was never officially confirmed, he was never credited in the film, and, even more suspiciously, he continued to live at terminal one! Regardless of whether or not he actually was paid, during this time he also co-wrote and published his autobiography, and continued mulling over his legal status.

That was until 2006, when, sadly, he was hospitalized for a life-threatening illness. While in the hospital for 6 months, Mehran’s alcove of personal possessions was dismantled by airport staff. He eventually left hospital in 2007 and was looked after by the Red Cross, before eventually settling in a homeless shelter in Paris.

However, in late 2022, Mehran strangely decided to return to his airport dwellings, according to Charles de Gaulle airport officials. It seemed the airport truly was his destiny, as just a few weeks later on November 12th, Mehran passed away in the airport at the age of 76.

Though, we can at least take solace in the fact that Mehran probably died happy, considering he willingly returned to what might be described as his one true home: the airport. But unbelievably, Mehran isn’t the only person found to have been living in an airport.

A Terminal 2 Problem

In the year 2000, a 16-year-old boy, Denis Luiz de Souza, showed up at Guarulhos Airport in Sao Paulo. Not to fly from there, but to live there. According to Denis, the airport is "calmer than living with his family". Also, Brazilian law deems the airport a public facility, meaning Denis technically wasn’t breaking any laws!

So, Denis made himself at home and began life in Terminal 2. Months and years went by, and the now 40-year-old Denis still lives there more than 23 years later, claiming the staff has become his family. They regularly provide him with food, clothes, and other necessities.

Denis’ real relatives once tried to take him home, however, it wasn’t long until he headed back to the airport. He claims the terminal is his real home, and it’s quieter and calmer than his familial home. He might be the only man alive who finds airports relaxing!

It appears that Denis suffers from some kind of learning disability. Airline staff claims that Denis’ speech is limited, he can neither read nor write or even tell the time. But this hasn’t stopped him from making friends with almost everyone from the baggage handlers to the security officers! It’s certainly an extraordinary arrangement, but one that works for Denis!

Runway Boy Lives In Walmart For Two Days

As a kid, I imagined how cool it’d be to live in Walmart. Unlimited candy, video games, and hide-and-seek spots! I still think it’s a good idea! And so did one 14-year-old boy who actually went through with it in 2014!

The teen was staying with his aunt in Texas while his parents were out of town. And with a reputation of running away, he saw this as prime time to make a move, to the local Walmart in Corsicana, that was.

As the store closed, he managed to dodge the employees and then got to creating a den behind the boxes of strollers on the baby aisle. He even went as far as to get himself a fish from the pet department because what’s a home without a pet?

In order to distract staff during opening hours, he would apparently change clothes multiple times a day and even wore diapers, so he wouldn’t be seen using the toilet too frequently!

However, this all-inclusive stay would last all but 2 days, as the staff picked up on a trail of trash that led to his secret den. The jig was up, and the boy was captured after attempting to flee. But luckily, Walmart just called child protective services and chose not to press charges. I hope he got to keep the fish, though!

Man Living for Weeks in Grocery Store Rafters Arrested

While living in Walmart for 2 days sounds fun, living in the rafters of a grocery store for 6 weeks sounds hellish! But this exact situation unfurled back in December 2020 when the staff of a grocery store in Washington noticed tools, clothes, and a rope near a vent to the roof. They assumed it to be a break-in, but the police investigation didn’t turn up anything.

However, in the coming days, employees reported hearing strange noises from the ceiling, one even claiming to have seen a pair of legs dangling from the top of a storage closet. But, once again, the police investigation was inconclusive. It stumped the staff to no end, but by January 2021, the store’s surveillance cameras finally caught the guy.

Dressed head to toe in black, his identity was almost completely concealed. But police managed to find him this time, along with his stash of 28 cartons of cigarettes and a block of Beecher’s Cheese worth $400.

Anyway, in the end, the authorities didn’t disclose the guy’s identity or exactly how he came to live up in the rafters for 6 weeks, meaning we may never know just how much $400 cheese he ate while he was up there!

TikToker Finds Man in Her Trunk

Back in January 2022, 26-year-old Bethany Coker from Canada began to notice some strange and unusual happenings in her car. You know, the kind where your seat becomes mysteriously drenched in mud? Just check out this TikTok she posted.

Bewildered, Bethany joked that the only explanation was that a muddy homeless man had slept in her car. Still, she cleaned it up and resumed her life. But oddities continued to happen, such as her windows fogging up with condensation when no one was inside, though Bethany still ignored it.

That was until one day when the route of these mysteries made itself known as it murmured hey. She ran to the cops and they popped the trunk to reveal a disorderly, undressed man who had actually been living in Bethany’s trunk for 3 days! Imagine if she’d gone to put her groceries in her trunk and found him that way!

It’s not been made known as to how he was actually surviving in there, in terms of eating and pooping, but he did claim to be the ‘son of the pope’ and that his lodging in Bethany’s car was a "rite of passage". Needless to say, this guy clearly had some problems, and in the end, he was given treatment and clothes.

Snail Man

If you think about it, having a house that can only stay in one place is somewhat inconvenient, especially if you compare it to our nomad friends, the snails! With everything they could possibly need right on their back, life is surely easier. Well, at least it is according to this next guy who’s been living like a snail for the last 14 years.

It’s 2008 and between losing his job, marriage, father, and house, Chinese citizen Liu Lingchao can’t seem to catch a break. Struggling to get back on his feet, Liu hatched an interesting plan. He created his own portable home built from bamboo sticks and plastic sheets, a bit like a snail’s shell!

And, with a handy beam of bamboo running through the shell, he can conveniently upheave his home onto his shoulders and go wherever the open road takes him.

Plus, with no bills to pay, Liu doesn’t even need to earn much money in order to survive. He does, however, make a little bit of cash by scavenging for trash and selling it. His trash treasure hunts lead to all different neighborhoods, so it’s just as well that Liu can easily give the place a little je ne sais quoi with some plastic flowers, should he wind up in a posh neighborhood.

Brazilian Man Living In Sand Castle

The average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in the city center of Rio de Janeiro costs around $357 a month, sounds reasonable but if you compare that with the average monthly salary of the same city, which sits at around $367, you can see how this might be a bit of a problem!

So, in a bid to free himself from the insane cost of living, Brazilian citizen Marcio Matolias, moved into a castle. For the past 26 years, Marcio has literally been living in a sandcastle. With an internal wooden structure that yields just 340 sq. ft of space, he mounds sand around it and carves it into an intricate castle design.

Of course, it doesn’t last for long, but that’s no problem as he can just rebuild it. Unlike other castles, this one’s banquets are prepared on an outdoor grill and paid for by selling old books. Showering isn’t a problem either, costing just $1 at a nearby fire station.

With his cozy dwelling brimming with books, all the while having seafront views and not costing a penny, Marcio claims he’s happy! In fact, he’s even become something of a local celebrity or, rather, monarch, what with the locals calling him ‘the king’ and anointing him with a plastic crown. And considering that Marcio has no intention of relinquishing his kingdom, all that’s left to say is ‘long live king Marcio!’.

Stranger Living In The Attic

Like many a horror film, this next tale began when a woman moved into a new house in a quiet farming town in rural America. Only, as she tried to settle into her new home, she couldn’t help but be unsettled by the mysterious footsteps she was hearing. Assuming it to be paranoia, she ignored it.

However, things only got stranger, from missing food to a freak flood, there seemed to be another presence in the house. Having checked the entire building over, she was sure that it was all just a coincidence. That was until, one day, she was off from work sick and noticed something odd: the attic hatch was somehow open.

The cops were immediately alerted, but upon investigation, they found no one, just a sleeping bag, food, and a book in her attic. The cops never found anyone, though it seemed someone had been living there the whole 6 months that she had been! The following day she moved out.

Colombian Couple Living In Sewer

Around the year 1990, a Colombian couple, Miguel Restrepo and Maria Garcia, were caught in a vicious spiral of homelessness and drug addiction. So, they decided to change their lives once and for all. But with no money, home, family, or support, how could they possibly break free?

It was just as well that they stumbled upon a free piece of real estate, a fixer-upper, for sure, but nevertheless, somewhere they could call home: a literal sewer. It sounds gross but with this being a defunct sewer, it was much less a cesspit of poop and rats, than just an empty underground cavity.

And having kitted the place out with a bed, cooking stove, and even a TV, the happy couple have called this home-sweet-home for the past 32 years!

Of course, space doesn’t come in abundance, what with it only being 10 ft wide and 6 ½ ft deep, but still, it’s enough for them and even their pet dog, Blackie. In fact, the pair say they enjoy the comfort of being secluded and have no intentions of ever leaving.

There’s just one question left: where’s the little boy’s and girl’s room? We know they live in a sewer, but we surely hope they’re not doing what we think they’re doing!

Man Lives In Tree For Months After Wife Cheats On Him

Shockingly, online sources suggest that 70% of Americans have cheated at least once during their marriage. And while infidelity sucks, one Indian man, Sanjay, really didn’t take it well when he caught his wife doing the dirty.

Back in 2011, 25-year-old Sanjay and his fiancé, Tara, decided to tie the knot. Things were great, until that one fateful day when Sanjay returned home to find Tara in a ‘compromising’ position with the neighbor.

Heartbroken, Sanjay asked for one thing only: an apology. Tara refused. So, she left him no other option, he would simply have to climb up a guava tree and protest until she apologized.

But, much to Sanjay’s disappointment, the apology never came. In fact, by the time the story gained publicity in 2012, he’d been up there 9 months. And since then, there’s been no word on whether he’s still up there or not.

His family would take him food and beg him to come down, but he refused. According to his family, he eats and sleeps on the tree, and even relieves himself from there. That’s one tree you wouldn’t wanna sit under.

TikToker Goes Viral After Moving Into His Work Cubicle

If you cast your mind back to 2020, you might remember that whole pandemic situation. And with the cost of living affecting many, Simon Jackson decided to take drastic measures. He made the point that the cost of living affected his rent, and because his job simply didn’t pay him enough, he decided to move into the office, something he called ‘homing-from-work’.

And with onsite showers, a cafeteria, and plenty of storage for all his belongings, Simon had everything he needed. He even set up a little sleeping area under one of the desks! What could possibly go wrong? You might be thinking that this sounds illegal, or at least grounds for a firing, yet Simon claimed it was perfectly legal, just ‘frowned upon’.

All set up and settled in, everything was going swimmingly for Simon, that was until his company saw that he’d documented the whole saga on TikTok to an audience of 17 million. The company claimed Simon was acting ‘inappropriately’ and out of line with their social media policy. They demanded he remove the videos or consequently face dismissal.

Unwilling to wave a white flag, Simon kept the videos up and moved into an Airbnb. So, let’s back up: all to prove a point, Simon lost his house, job, had to sleep on an office floor for four days, and now lives in an Airbnb. I’m gonna be honest, Simon, it could’ve gone a little bit better.

Homeless Man Lived In Car With 47 Cats

It was back at the beginning of 2022 that an unfortunate man from Minnesota became homeless. But, with a car still to his name, he wasn’t completely homeless. The only problem was he had quite a lot of baggage; baggage of cat variety.

In the scorching June heat, cramped into a tiny car, this man lived with his 47 cats! There were actually 61 initially, but to make room he had to shift some of his precious cargo and gave away 14.

How long he and the cats were living in these conditions isn’t exactly clear, however, it wasn’t long before the cats were let out of the bag when a local saw the car practically full of felines and reported it to the authorities. The cats were taken into care, and checked over, but only suffered minor medical problems.

Wisconsin Fugitive Survives 3 Years In Makeshift Bunker

Back in 2016, a Wisconsin man, Jeremiah Button, was due to stand trial for some abhorrent crimes he committed. With the evidence stacked against him, it seemed he was going down for good, which is when he suddenly disappeared without a trace.

Years passed and there’d not been a single sighting of Jeremiah. That was, until 2019 when a local Wisconsin man, Thomas Nelson, was out hunting in the woods in the town of Ringle. As he walked through the woodland, he suddenly found himself confronted with a strange log door carved into an embankment.

Frightened, Thomas claimed he ‘couldn’t get out of there fast enough’. However, in the coming months, his curiosity festered, and he returned to the door.

It was unlatched, so Thomas pushed it open and crept into what, he’d soon realize, was a secret hideout. In every direction he looked, the bunker was brimming with canned foods, storage boxes, and extreme clutter. It was then that Thomas suddenly realized someone must be living there!

As he turned the corner, there lay Jeremiah right before his eyes! It’s not clear whether Thomas already knew of Jeremiah and his hideous crimes, though he immediately alerted the sheriff’s office and guided them to the bunker.

But as Jeremiah surrendered, it seemed like he was strangely glad of all the human interaction. Gladly, he’ll be getting plenty of interaction from his inmates during his 30-year sentence!