14 DAY TRIAL // Terrible news for fans of actor Paul Walker, best known for his role opposite Vin Diesel in the “Fast & Furious” film franchise: he was killed in an explosion following a one-vehicle accident just hours ago, TMZ reports.
Paul was only 40 years old and he leaves behind a 15-year-old daughter and millions of fans broken-hearted.
TMZ reports that the actor and a friend were in a “two-seater Porsche Carrera GT” when the accident occurred in Santa Clarita, outside Los Angeles, California. They had just attended a charity event for Philippines typhoon relief. Initial police reports suggest that speeding may have been a factor.
The driver lost control of the car and it crashed into a tree, going up in flames almost immediately. A friend of the actor on the scene tells the celebrity e-zine of their efforts to get the two bodies out of the burning car, efforts that turned out to be in vain.
The same media outlet has video of the burning wreck, which we will not embed here, out of respect for Walker’s family.
A rep for the actor issued a statement to confirm the tragedy, saying, “He was a passenger in a friend's car, in which both lost their lives. [He was] attending a charity event for his organization Reach Out Worldwide.”
At the event, Paul posed for a photo with a fan, who tells the media that he seemed really happy to be there, to be using his fame to draw attention to a noble cause.
“The world lost an angel in Paul. He dedicated so much of his life to helping disadvantaged kids and people who are in need. I'm gonna do whatever I can to keep Paul's goals for the charity alive,” the fan tells TMZ.
Walker’s involvement with various charities throughout the years has often been documented in the press, with each campaign winning him new fans and more respect, because he seemed genuinely interested in helping others. He was described as a gentle, kind, and amazing man, and a true professional on the movie set.
He will undoubtedly be missed.