At a prime age and a time his career was in a really good place, the life of Hollywood hunk Paul Walker was cut short in a fatal accident, leaving film lovers in deep pain. Hollywood was thrown into mourning after the news of the actor’s sudden death trickled in, sending shockwaves through the internet amid heartfelt tributes from fans in different parts of the world.
A few years down the line, some of us are yet to get the hang of it all and questions are still rife about the actual circumstances surrounding the actor’s death. Recent updates have equally emerged, revealing some lesser-known facts about the fateful day the life of a fine American actor and philanthropist was snatched away. Here’s what we know so far.
When And How Did Paul Walker Die?
As paradoxical as it sounds, the Fast and the Furious star, who pulled off several hair-raising stunts on the set of the action film franchise, mostly from vehicles at high speed, lost his life in real life when a car he was riding in crashed at a speed of almost 100mph.
The unfortunate incident occurred 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 when they had to leave for the actor’s charity Reach Out Worldwide which was set up for victims of Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda).
The coroner’s report shows that for unknown reasons, Rodas was driving at an unsafe speed – between 80 mph (130 km/h) and 93 mph (150 km/h) in a 45 mph (72 km/h) speed zone. At some point, he lost control of the fancy car which spun around at 180 degrees and skidded off the road to the sidewalk. The driver’s side of the vehicle first hit two trees followed by a final plunge into a concrete lamp post which appears to be the straw that broke the camel’s back as the Porsche burst into flames shortly afterward. Prior to that, the result of the collisions with the trees and lamp post almost split the car from the middle.
The tragedy on Hercules Street near Kelly Johnson Parkway in Valencia, Santa Clarita, California, left Rodas dead as a result of multiple trauma. Sadly, Walker couldn’t walk away from this one (like in the movies) as he also succumbed to the effects of trauma followed by the burns the two friends got after the car burst into flames. Both bodies were impossible to tell apart 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 found in their system, meaning – the driver was not operating under the influence of anything. Additionally, there was no drag racing in progress at the time of the crash.
Walker’s body was later laid to rest after a non-denominational ceremony held at Forest Lawn Memorial Park.
New Details About His Death
It’s been five years since the passing of the celebrated actor and many are yet to come to terms with his painful death. Every now and then, new details emerge about the actor’s last days and the things that would have saved his life, if done differently.
While forensic reports show that the curve where both men crashed to their deaths is known for drifting cars and no mechanical failure or even road conditions contributed to the accident, placing all blame on the car’s speed and age of the tires, eyebrows are still being raised about the whole incident.
Roughly two years after he passed on, Paul Walker’s father, Paul William Walker III, joined the late actor’s daughter – Meadow Walker to file a wrongful death lawsuit against Porsche. According to the litigation, the car company was aware of the design defects of the Porsche Carrera GT and its history of instability. It was also argued that its seat belt was placed in a way that can be fatal upon impact. In response, Porsche refuted the claims, saying Walker knew the risks involved beforehand. Eventually, Porsche won the case but came to an agreement with the bereaved.
New details emerging from the documentary (I Am Paul Walker) that chronicled the life of the actor revealed that just maybe, Paul Walker would have been alive to complete the Furious 7 if not for a text he got, reminding him of an event he had to attend. His mother, Cheryl Walker, recounts how the late actor was having a chat about decorating the year’s Christmas tree with his daughter and was in high spirits, completely forgetting about the event when he got the reminder and had to go. The next time the family would see him, he was burned beyond recognition.
