teens

Meadow Walker was 15 when her dad died. She watches his movies to 'keep his spirit alive'.

On November 30, 2013, Paul Walker was killed when the car he was riding in crashed into a concrete lamp post.

He was just 40 years old.

Earlier that day, Walker was hanging out with his then 15-year-old daughter, Meadow, and his mother, Cheryl. They were making plans to choose and decorate a Christmas tree later that day.

Then Walker received a text message, reminding him that he had to attend the Reach Out Worldwide charity event that afternoon.

His daughter would never see him again.

Walker would travel home from the event with his friend, Roger Rodas, with Rodas driving in his Porsche Carrera GT. While driving at 72 kilometres an hour, the car would slam into a concrete pole and two trees, and burst into flames.

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Walker died from trauma and burns, while Rodas died from multiple traumas.

Cheryl recounted his final steps in a documentary about his life, I Am Paul Walker. 

“We were having this good conversation, and he’d forgotten about an event he had,” she says, according to People"He got a text and said, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m supposed to be somewhere!’"

Walker then rushed out the door to attend the charity event, which was held at a race shop to raise funds to help the victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.

“I think so many people think, ‘Oh, he was just a movie star who was killed in a car accident’. But there was so much more to him,” Cheryl says in the documentary.

“That was just a piece of who he was. He was an amazing man.”

In 2015, on her father’s birthday, Meadow posted a touching tribute to the dad she lost far too early.

“Reflecting on my father, I found myself reflecting on his passions. His passion for the ocean, his passion for rescuing animals, his passion for helping people and his passion for spontaneous goodwill. 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,” she wrote on Instagram.

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"I am tremendously proud to be launching The #PaulWalkerFoundation on his birthday. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate my father."

In 2021, Meadow announced she was married, after tying the knot with her partner, actor Louis Thornton-Allan. 

Watch Meadow Walker's special clip of her wedding day with Louis Thorton-Allan. You can watch the full clip here


Video via Meadow Walker.

The pair were engaged for two months, Vogue reported, and married in the Dominican Republic, surrounded by just a few of their family and friends. 

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She had a custom Givenchy Haute Couture gown and veil created for her special day. 

And it was Vin Diesel, a close friend to Walker and a fellow co-star in the Fast and Furious films, who had walked her down the aisle. 

He is also the godfather to Meadow and has been open about staying close to her since Walker's death. 

Diesel has been open about his close relationship with Meadow, sharing with Extra"She takes good care of me… She's the first person on Father's Day to wish me Happy Father's Day."

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"To see her with my children is one of the most beautiful things. There are moments when I see her playing with Pauline and it hits me so deep 'cos I can only imagine what my brother sees when he sees that… I feel very protective. It goes beyond the movie.

"The whole point of the Fast and Furious saga is the idea that brotherhood can be created by bond and not necessarily blood."

Listen to The Well, a Mamamia podcast, where radio and TV host Robin Bailey and author Rebecca Sparrow road test techniques for a better, happier, and more meaningful life. Post continues after audio.

Nine years on since Walker died, Meadow says she honours him by watching his films. 

"They always say the first thing you forget about someone is their voice, so I’m fortunate enough to have his voice in many movies," she told Page Six.

"I like to watch his movies at night. For me, it brings me joy to talk about him and keep his spirit alive."

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The now 24-year-old, who has continued the foundation she started in his name, admitted it feels "weird" to see how much love others had for her father.

"Honestly, I just saw him as my dad, and I think he kept me very behind the scenes of everything, so I didn’t realise how big his fan base was," she said. "To see the continuation — even now, the outpouring of love is honestly kind of amazing but also weird."

She added: "He was seriously my best friend, my confidante, my everything. I feel like he’s always with me."

Feature Image: Instagram @MeadowWalker.

This article was originally published on August 3rd, 2018 and was updated on October 24th, 2021 and December 1, 2022.

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