The little French town of Thiberville in Normandy has inherited an amount five times larger than its municipal budget.
All 1,800 residents of the small French town of Thiberville are stunned and overjoyed after a millionaire donated his entire fortune of $10.2 million to the town.
Thiberville is a commune located in Normandy, Northern France. The millionaire in question was Roger Thiberville, who passed away last August at the age of 91.
The only reason the benevolent stranger left his entire fortune to the town is that he shared his surname with the town’s name.
Roger, born in 1932, was a meteorologist by profession who lived his entire life humbly in Paris.
His family, based in Mantes-la-Jolie, 50 kilometers west of Paris, was, however, involved in winemaking.
He inherited all his wealth from his parents and later from his sister, who also passed away, leaving no heirs behind.
With no family or close relatives, and despite never having visited the little town of Thiberville during his lifetime, Roger decided to leave his entire fortune to the town solely because of their shared surname.
When Guy Paris, the mayor of Thiberville, heard the news, he laughed and thought it was a joke.
Only when officials told him about the windfall did he believe it, considering the donation to be “exceptional and beyond imagination” for the small community.
Since the town is a public entity, it will not be required to pay any tax on the inheritance.
Having been the mayor of the small French town for almost three decades, Paris wishes to spend the money wisely and responsibly.
For starters, he said that the town will pay off its outstanding loan of more than $400K, which was used to build a new primary school.
Although a beautiful town, it is hardly a tourist destination, so Paris further added that he will not spend the funds all at once.
The town plans to spend the money wisely to improve the quality of life for both current and future generations.
The mayor also said that the town plans to create a public park, renovate the primary school and the roof of the church, and build a football pitch.
In the future, they may build a care home, a fire station, and a memorial to honor Roger Thiberville and his generosity.
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