Man Leaves $10.2M to Place He Never Visited

Roger Thiberville's last name came from the small French town of Thiberville, in Normandy, but Thiberville had never actually visited Thiberville. Even so, he left his entire $10.2 million fortune to the town when he died in August at age 91, the Guardian reports. Thiberville, whose family owned vineyards as well as property in Paris that he inherited, died with no descendants and instead left all his money to the town from which his name came. The mayor tells local media residents were amazed at the news. "It's an exceptional sum of money. Obviously the amount is beyond imagination," he says, noting that the first plan is to pay off a $400,000 loan used to build a new school, and to then manage the rest of the windfall "with prudence and responsibility." Thiberville is home to 1,800 people, the Sun reports.

Thiberville, who worked as a meteorologist in Paris, asked that his ashes be laid to rest in Thiberville's cemetery, and the mayor says those last wishes will be honored. As for what comes next, "We have projects," he says. Some ideas include "a public garden with a play area, a boules ground with solar panels that will serve as shade, the renovation of the elementary school, a synthetic football pitch." (More uplifting news stories.)