Paul Walker passed away on November 30th 2013. I
didn’t know him personally but like most of his fans, I shared a connection to
him. He seemed to be really grounded as a person. Not overcome with all the
Hollywood hype that affects most in his position. He was a fan of cars and the
racing lifestyle. He was an actor. But he was more than that. He was a
philanthropist working to help those less fortunate than himself. He donated a great deal of money from
his own pocket while raising funds for his charity.
I find it weird to have an emotional connection to a total
stranger. But maybe that makes me a good person. I was in my apartment watching
Black Snake Moan when I found out about his passing. I didn’t think it was real
since celebrity deaths have been faked before, especially on social media. I finished watching my movie and checked my twitter again. The story was
confirmed by Paul’s team on his personal twitter. I felt sadness after reading that tweet on my timeline.
Tears swelled in my eyes. I remember him just days ago tweeting about the new
Fast and Furious movie. Now he is gone.
I decided to go to the site of the car crash that took his
life and the life of his friend Rodger Rodas. I got in my car and took the 30
min drive from North Hollywood to Valencia/Santa Clarita. It happened near the
Automotive Performance shop Always Evolving. It was a somber scene at the crash
site. A little less than 50 people were there when I arrived. More came and
went while I was there paying my respects. It sunk in for real at that point, just
seeing all the mementos people left there. Flowers, Candles, pictures, toy cars, dvd’s, and even some
bottles of beer.
I cant imagine what his daughter must be going through. My
condolences to her and the rest of the Walker family.
