Many people remember where they were when they heard the news that Paul Walker had died. The actor, who was at the height of his career, was tragically killed in a car accident on November 30, 2013. At the time, he was in the midst of filming Furious 7 from the Fast and the Furious franchise. His brothers helped film Paul's final scenes.
However, the most heartbreaking part of this tragedy was that he left a 15-year-old daughter behind. Paul and his ex, Rebecca Soteros, shared daughter Meadow Rain Walker, who moved to California to live with her dad in 2011.
Now 21 years old, Meadow has a career of her own as a model. But she'll always hold the memories of her father in her heart. According to friends and loved ones, Paul loved being a dad.
Paul, who was only 40 when he died, would have been 47 this year. To celebrate her father, Meadow posted a very touching tribute on Instagram. It was a picture of the two of them, with the caption of "the moment I realized we are twins." She added, "happy birthday to the most beautiful soul."
Actress Jordana Brewster made sure to comment on the photo, stating, "The most beautiful." Jordana worked alongside Paul on the Fast and the Furious films and has said before that he was one of the best parts about being on set. In the movies, Paul played the role of her husband.
"I love Vin, I love Michelle … but my friendship with Paul was definitely the highlight because he was the best guy," she said to ABC News. "So, the bond I had with him was definitely the best part." After Paul's death, she felt as if it made no sense for her character to still be in the films.
"I think the franchise has evolved throughout the years and each one transitions into something new," she said, per HuffPost. "I think the addition of Charlize is amazing, the addition of Helen Mirren is amazing. [But] it's strange not to be a part of it, because it’s been a part of my life for so many years."
Back in April of this year, Meadow found yet another way to honor her dad. She shared a video she took of her pranking him. In the caption, she revealed that she never thought she'd share such a personal moment but felt as if it was time. "Be good. I love you. Stay safe. xx," she further captioned the video.
Meadow is still a big part of the Fast and the Furious family. In fact, she remains close with Vin Diesel's children: Hania, 12; Vincent, 10; and Pauline, 5. Pauline was actually named after Meadow's father, proving that the bond Paul and Vin shared was strong even when the cameras weren't rolling. In July, Meadow posted a selfie with all three.
Aside from modeling, she's also honoring her father by working with the Paul Walker Foundation. Right now, its focus is to provide meals for children who may be without them, especially due to the devastation of this year. "Please stay home," she wrote on Instagram. "This protects not only you, but everyone around you. We need to lookout for each other during this time. And all times. Lots of love, Meadow."
In fact, her name is everywhere on the main page of the foundation. And she's doing all she can to keep it thriving. She even sketched some drawings for children to download, print, and color. Aside from giving them an activity, Meadow turned it into a contest. "Winners will receive Paul Walker Foundation merch, Connecting kids in the community with color," the website says.
Meadow wasn't the only one to wish Paul Walker a happy birthday online. Jordana also posted a picture, with the caption "I miss you." Multiple people liked the image, which was likely taken on set, and used the opportunity to remember Paul through comments. Over 3,000 people interacted with her tribute.
Ludacris also posted a happy birthday message, but he opted for a photo showcasing only Paul. In 2015, Ludacris showered the late actor with praise by giving a speech at the 2015 Billboard Music Awards. "It is only right that I'm standing here with my brother, Tyrese Gibson," he said. "We're ready to make this next introduction, the song 'See You Again,' from the 'Furious 7' has become a fitting and moving tribute to our very close friend and co-star, the late great Paul Walker."
Ludacris also stood up for Paul during the Comedy Central roast of Justin Bieber. While he had a great time at the roast itself, he admits he thought a few of the jokes about his friend crossed a line. "There were some Paul Walker jokes that I didn't feel like were appropriate," he explained to host Alyona Minkovski, per HuffPost. "I was told and promised that they would edit those out. Some of those were over the line."
The jokes in question, which were reportedly told by Jeff Ross and Pete Davidson, were taken out of the broadcast out of respect for the star. It's good to know that no matter what, the cast still looks out for Paul and doesn't tolerate any jokes made at his expense.
Aside from helping protect Meadow, the protection over Paul may be because even after his death, Paul's legacy foundation is trying to make the world a better place. The main goal of his foundation is simply to "Do Good." "Meadow is excited to be carrying on his legacy," the site states. "One of the key ways she plans to meet this challenge is by helping ocean leaders of tomorrow become beacons in the fight to protect our oceans, wildlife, and ourselves."
"Continuing his spontaneous goodwill has no boundaries," the site continues. "This is something we can all practice daily. The foundation is passing the torch to Meadow as we are all inspired to live like Paul, full of heart, character and spontaneous acts of goodwill that will be impactful beyond our years."
Between her loving tributes online and her hard work for the foundation, it's obvious that Meadow still holds the memory of her father dear in her heart every day. As she referred to him on Instagram, Paul was her "best friend forever." He'd be so proud of how much she's grown since 2013.
