A man with ambitions to start a restaurant in New York City made a tragic call to his wife before his untimely death.
François-Tanguy Olivon and his wife, Manon Olivon, were preparing to move from France to the United States to launch Chez Fanfan in SoHo, NYC.
As Manon explained to the New York Post, they had already invested $166,000 as a deposit and nearly $50,000 for two months of rent to Robert Moskowitz, the proprietor of New York-based Only Properties LLC.
Their American dream was abruptly halted following a distressing phone call Manon received from François.
While vacationing in the south of France, François vanished after making a final call to Manon at 1 a.m. on February 22.
In an interview with local media, Manon recalled the call: “He was shouting at me for help, to come and get him right away.”
Tragically, she never spoke to him again, as authorities later found his body in the Adour River 12 days afterward.
A witness reported seeing François on the night of his disappearance, wearing a ‘completely torn’ t-shirt, and surveillance footage appeared to show him falling off a bridge in Bayonne.
After François’ death, Manon encountered difficulties in retrieving her money from Moskowitz, subsequently canceling their restaurant plans.
Upon learning of her husband’s passing, Manon contacted the landlord, hoping for a partial return of what she described as her ‘life savings.’
Her plea was unsuccessful.
In her letter, she appealed: “Today, I am not writing to a landlord – I am writing to a man. A man who, I hope, can look beyond clauses and figures and understand that sometimes, life puts us through unimaginable trials that we cannot face alone.”
She continued, “If you cannot return the full amount, then I beg you to at least return one month’s rent. It would be an immense help to me and my children.”
Moskowitz’s legal team indicated that Manon would be liable for the entire 10-year lease unless she agreed to a ‘surrender agreement.’
Manon has accepted the surrender agreement and initiated a GoFundMe campaign to support her family.
In her appeal, she wrote: “We were a close-knit family, full of love and dreams. François-Tanguy was an exceptional father and husband, a kindhearted man who always put others before himself. Now, Rose (4 years old), Ethan (8 years old), and I must find a way forward without him, but the reality is devastating.”
She also stated: “With a heavy heart, I am launching this fundraiser. The funds raised will help me: Ensure a stable future for my children after this devastating loss, cover the costs related to François-Tanguy passing, handle daily expenses as we try to rebuild our lives.”
Experts have noted that Moskowitz acted within legal bounds by retaining the deposit and rent payments.