At a very old age, his career was in a really good place, the life of good Hollywood man Paul Walker was cut short in a fatal accident, leaving moviegoers in deep pain. Hollywood was plunged into mourning after news of the actor’s sudden death filtered through, sending shockwaves across the internet via heartfelt tributes from fans in different parts of the world.
Years later, some of us still haven’t figured it all out, and there’s no shortage of questions about the real circumstances surrounding the actor’s passing. Recent updates have also emerged, revealing lesser-known facts about the fateful day the life of a fine American actor and philanthropist was taken. Here’s what we know so far.
When and how did Paul Walker die?
Paradoxical as it may seem, the Fast and Furious star, who performed several jaw-dropping stunts on the set of the action film franchise, mostly from high-speed vehicles, lost his life in real life when a car he was driving in crashed at speeds approaching 100 mph.
The unfortunate incident happened on a Saturday -November 30, 2013. Walker was in the passenger seat of a Porsche Carrera GT driven by his friend and financial adviser Roger Rodas. Walker, 40, and Rodas, 38, were together at an event where they had to leave for the actor’s charitable foundation Reach Out Worldwide, set up for the victims of Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda).
The coroner’s report shows that, for unknown reasons, Rodas was driving at a dangerous speed – between 130 km/h and 150 km/h in a 45 km/h speed zone. At one point, he lost control of the fancy car as it spun 180 degrees and skidded on the sidewalk. The driver’s side of the vehicle first hit two trees, then a final plunge into a concrete lamppost, which appears to be the straw that broke the camel’s back, as the Porsche burst into flames shortly after. Previously, collisions with trees and the lamppost nearly cut the car out of the middle.
The tragedy on Hercules Street near Kelly Johnson Parkway in Valencia, Santa Clarita, Calif., left Rodas dead from multiple trauma. Unfortunately, Walker couldn’t get away from this one (just like in the movies), as he also succumbed to the effects of follow-up trauma from the burns the two friends got after the car caught fire. The two bodies were indistinguishable due to the burns. After a thorough investigation, it was concluded that there was no foul play. It is also important to note that there was no trace of alcohol or drugs in their system, meaning the driver was not operating under the influence of anything. Additionally, no drag racing was in progress at the time of the accident.
Walker’s body was later laid to rest after a non-denominational ceremony held at Forest Lawn Memorial Park.
New details about his death
Five years have passed since the death of the famous actor and many are still dealing with his painful death. Every now and then new details emerge about the actor’s final days and what would have saved his life, if done differently.
Forensic reports show that the curve where the two men are known to have died for their runaway cars and that no mechanical failure or even road condition contributed to the accident, with liability being attributable to the speed of the car and the age of the tyres.
About two years after his death, PaulWalker’s father, Paul William Walker III, joined the actor’s late daughter, Meadow Walker, in filing a wrongful death lawsuit against Porsche. According to the litigation, the automaker was aware of the Porsche Carrera GT’s design flaws and its history of instability. It has also been argued that his seat belt was placed in such a way as to be fatal on impact. In response, Porsche refuted the claims, saying Walker knew beforehand of the risks involved. Eventually, Porsche won the case but reached an agreement with the mourners.
New details from the documentary (I Am Paul Walker) chronicling the life of the actor have revealed that Paul Walker might have been alive to complete the film. Furious 7 if not for a text he had, reminding him of an event he was to attend. His mother, Cheryl Walker, shares how the late actor discussed decorating the year’s Christmas tree with her daughter.
and was in good spirits, completely forgetting about the event when he received the reminder and had to leave. The next time his family saw him, he was burned without any recognition.