It’s hard to imagine that Paul Walker went away over seven years ago.
The high-profile actor was killed in a traffic accident in November 2013, when his Porsche Carrera GT smashed into a post and erupted into flames.
Walker’s death crushed the hearts of fans all across the globe at the time, yet it also left a gaping emptiness of sadness for the family he left behind. This included his fiancée, Jasmine Pilchard-Gosnell, and Meadow Rain Walker, his daughter with Rebecca McBrain.
Meadow was just 15 years old when Paul died, making it a particularly terrible time to lose a dad. Of course, there is no such thing as a ‘good’ moment, but dealing with the death of your dad in the midst of your formative adolescent years must be an immensely difficult burden to bear.
Despite this, Meadow seems to have dealt with the heavy blow well. There is no question that it was very difficult for her to pick herself up and continue, but the now-22-year-old is surely making her dad proud.
It was clear from the start that Paul Walker was destined for a life of entertainment.
Born in 1973, he worked as a child actor throughout the 1970s and 1980s before becoming well-known for his role in the TV serial opera The Young and the Restless.
Walker rose to prominence after appearing in the 2001 movie Joy Ride, establishing himself as a rising action star. Yet, it was his part as Brian O’Connor in the first Fast and Furious film, released the same year, that catapulted him to prominence.
Walker went on to repeat the role multiple times as the Fast and Furious series became a major financial success. Walker, 40, had established himself as a well-known action hero and leading man at the time he died.
As a consequence, his death shook the whole globe. Co-stars and close friends such as Vin Diesel and Tyrese Gibson led the tributes, while his girlfriend and then-15-year-old daughter had to deal with the shock of losing a husband and father.
We may never know the actual depth of Jasmine Pilchard-and Gosnell’s Paul’s daughter, Meadow Rain Walker’s pain, but we do know that the latter has done an excellent job honoring her father’s memory.
Meadow went through a lot of maturation when her dad died. She graduated from high school and instantly plunged herself into a slew of major initiatives. Among other things, she announced the establishment of the Paul Walker Foundation using a portion of the money bequeathed to her by her dad.
The foundation’s mission is to aid in the battle to conserve tomorrow’s seas, as well as animals and, eventually, ourselves. It is described on its website as “a guiding light of Paul’s distinct spirit, far-reaching ambitions, and spontaneous kindness.”
Meadow, who is also a student, continues to operate the Paul Walker Foundation with the assistance of her godfather and Paul’s longtime friend, Vin Diesel.
I don’t know about you, but seeing Paul Walker’s daughter assure that his kind and caring legacy carries on in the greatest possible manner warms my heart. I’m sure he’d be proud of her.
Is there anybody else who misses Paul Walker? The Fast & Furious flicks aren’t the same without him!
