It was sadly confirmed yesterday that Fast & Furious’ leading man Paul Walker has passed away. Reporters say Walker was on the way to his charity event Reach Out Worldwide in Southern California just 30 miles north of Hollywood when the tragedy took place. According to the website for the charity, the Saturday event was intended to benefit victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. The wreck took place around 3:30 pm (6:30pm ET) just 300 yards from the office park where the event was being held, and according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office speed was definitely a factor in the crash. It is also being reported that Walker was the passenger in his friends 2005 Porsche Carrera GT, and that the speed limit in that particular area was 45mph. When deputies arrived at the scene they found a car engulfed in flames. Once the fire was extinguished, “all that remained was the burnt mangled metal of the red car and a light pole that had been knocked down.” Deputies also noticed burned rubber and doughnut marks up and down the street relatively close to the crash site. Although they are unsure if the marks in the road are related to the crash, they were able to confirm (once the fire was put out) that two occupants were found and pronounced dead on the scene. Even with all of this information being presented, the county coroner says “given the condition of the bodies, it will take some time to definitively identify them.” Walker passed away at the young age of 40 and is survived by his 15-year-old teenage daughter Meadow.
It saddened me to hear news of Paul Walker’s passing and I was really wishing this was just another hoax. I was most definitely a big fan of his who grew up watching the Fast and Furious Series, so I was able to watch Walker grow into a successful and very talented actor over the years. His presence on camera was undeniable, and I believe he was on his way to becoming one of the greats. According to the numerous tweets and Facebook statuses from his celebrity costars, Walker was a very sweet man with a magnetic personality that drew everyone to him. Close friends tell of the great deeds he performed while still on earth as well as how big of a heart he had. His death impacted not only those who were close to him but also his fans as well. My condolences go out to his family, especially his teenage daughter, and to the family of the friend who was driving Walker to the event.