It’s been a decade since the tragic death of “Fast and the Furious” star Paul Walker, but his presence remains strong in the lives of his friends, family, and co-stars. Walker died at 40 years old after a car crash in 2013, when a Porsche Carrera GT driven by his friend, Roger Rodas, crashed and became engulfed in flames.
Both men were pronounced dead at the scene, and authorities determined speed was a factor. His daughter, Meadow Walker, was only 15 at the time of her father’s death and has honored him in various ways throughout the years. This year, on what would have been his 50th birthday, Meadow wrote on social media, “Happy birthday to my guardian angel. Thank you for your love, guidance, friendship, sunshine and for raising me to see all of the beauty in the world.”
She continued, “You are the most kind, humble, generous and caring soul I know. You taught me at a young age to always treat everyone with respect, to do good and to take care of our planet. I love you and miss you every day.” Meadow has become a successful model, walking in shows for Proenza Schouler and Alexander McQueen and serving as the face of Givenchy Beauty. She also founded the Paul Walker Foundation, which she announced on his 42nd birthday on social media, explaining she wanted to share her father’s passions for the ocean, rescuing animals, helping people and “spontaneous goodwill.”
She added, “I wanted to start this foundation because I want to share that piece of him with the world. I want to share that part of him with others.” Walker’s brother, Cody Walker, spoke with People Magazine about his brother’s passing, saying Meadow “has grabbed the torch” from her dad in many ways. He said, “I’d want him to know that she has just grown to be such a beautiful young lady.” Cody continued, “She’s pursuing a career that’s extremely difficult, but she’s finding her way, and she’s landing success, and he’d be so proud of her.”
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Meadow Walker married actor Louis Thornton-Allan in 2021. Walker’s “Fast and the Furious” co-star, Vin Diesel, walked her down the aisle, and his daughter, Hania, was her maid of honor. The bond shared by Diesel and Walker goes well beyond the screen, with Diesel often referring to the late actor as his “brother” and affectionately calling him “Pablo” in tribute posts. Diesel is also Meadow’s godfather and told “Extra” in 2021 that he feels “very protective” of her and gets emotional about their families’ connection.
He said, “She’s the first person on Father’s Day to wish me Happy Father’s Day. To see her with my children is one of the most beautiful things. There are moments when I see her playing with [his 6-year-old daughter] Pauline, and it hits me so deep ’cause I can only imagine what my brother sees when he sees that.” To mark what would have been Walker’s 50th birthday, Diesel shared a lengthy tribute on social media.
He wrote, “The world isn’t the same brother… as a species, one might say we are struggling. But I think of you, and I smile and know everything is going to be alright.” As he shared other memories of their time together, he focused on the photo he had posted of them together just before they left to volunteer in Haiti following the country’s deadly earthquake in 2010.
“The Fast and the Furious” films put Walker on the map, pairing him with Diesel in what grew to be an ever-expanding franchise. The most recent film, “Fast X,” premiered this year, with a sequel set for 2025 that will potentially wrap up the series.