December 1, 2013 by Shannon Sylvia
You mostly see messages during the credits of every Fast & Furious film that reminds us all not to attempt any of the street racing stunts, which can be really dangerous, and thought, “Hey, it looks like fun.” Well, that is not the case with the recent event over the weekend. Paul Walker, one of the lead actors in one of the highest grossing franchises, The Fast and the Furious, in addition to starring in films such as Varsity Blues, Joy Ride, She’s All That, and Takers, died Saturday afternoon in a terrible accident in Valencia, California, while leaving a charity event he hosted with his organization Reach Out Worldwide to raise funds for the victims of the Philippines typhoon. He was 40 years old and is survived by his 15-year old daughter.
News of Paul’s death was confirmed in a statement by his family via Facebook:
“It is with a truly heavy heart that we must confirm that Paul Walker passed away today in a tragic car accident while attending a charity event for his organization Reach Out Worldwide. He was a passenger in a friend’s car, in which both lost their lives. We appreciate your patience as we too are stunned and saddened beyond belief by this news. Thank you for keeping his family and friends in your prayers during this very difficult time. We will do our best to keep you apprised on where to send condolences.” – #TeamPW
Speed might have played as the major factor according to The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, but several witnesses who saw the accident claim that Paul was the passenger in a GT Porsche Carrera when Roger Rodas, a friend and CEO of Always Evolving, lost control of the car before crashing it and killing them both. The cause has yet to be determined as of this moment. One of Paul’s friends reported that he tried to save him while the car was engulfed in flames.
Paul was still filming Fast & Furious 7 and has recently wrapped up a couple projects prior to his death. Universal is scrambling now to figure out what to do with the seventh installment. But there is some good news after the studio announced that they will not abandon the project, and it will instead be on hold until further notice. This is not the only time an actor died while in the middle of shooting a movie. Paul’s Fast & Furious co-stars have all released their thoughts on his passing in addition to several celebrities on social media. Even Vin Diesel posted a photo on Instagram with a caption referring to him as his brother.
We here at MediaStinger would like to send out our thoughts to Paul and his family in this devastating loss.
