Always in his heart. Vin Diesel celebrated late costar Paul Walker’s life and legacy on the ninth anniversary of his death.
“Nine years … love you and miss you,” Diesel, 55, wrote via Instagram on Tuesday, November 29.
The Fast and the Furious star shared a throwback photo from one of the racing movies where both he and Walker are smiling while leaning on a car.
Diesel became close with the She’s All That actor in the early 2000s after they costarred in 2001’s The Fast and the Furious. The men went on to play BFFs Dominic Toretto and Brian O’Conner, respectively, in four additional Fast and Furious movies before Walker’s death on November 30, 2013.
The Varsity Blues star was killed in a single-vehicle car crash at the age of 40. While his loss was felt by many, including his former costars, Walker’s memory lives on in the Fast and the Furious franchise, through his daughter, Meadow Walker, and with his longtime friend Diesel.
In addition to Paul being heavily featured in 2015’s Furious 7, which was in the middle of production when he died, Meadow, now 24, is set to make a cameo in Fast X, which hits theaters in 2023.
Outside of the movies, Diesel, who is Meadow’s godfather, has continued to honor the Meet the Deedles actor — and still keeps his daughter close.
“She counts Vin and his kids as family,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly in June 2021 of Meadow, whom Paul shared with ex-girlfriend Rebecca Soteros. “[She] will talk to them on days she’s struggling, and she has their backs too.”
The model, who was only 15 when her father died, leaned on Diesel when she married Louis Thornton-Allan in October 2021. Us confirmed at the time that the Pacifier star walked Meadow down the aisle during the ceremony.
The following month, Diesel paid tribute to Paul on the eighth anniversary of his death by penning a touching letter about all the things the late star has missed since 2013. The California native recalled talking to his friend about becoming a father while filming Fast and Furious 4 ahead of welcoming his first child, Hania, in 2008.
“I told you that I was about to have a baby and didn’t know what to expect at the hospital which I was heading to after work. Will never forget what you told me … you said a lot of tough guys will tell you to wait outside of the delivery room, but that’s wrong. Go in there, actually cut the umbilical cord and it will be the best day of your life,” Diesel wrote via Instagram in November 2021 alongside a picture of both his daughter Hania, now 14, and Meadow on her wedding day. “You of course, [were] talking from experience, having already an angel of your own. It’s been eight years today … and not a day goes by that I don’t reflect of the brotherhood we were blessed to have … but you know that.”
The Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 actor continued: “Look at this photo Pablo, it will make you smile. The same angel that you helped me prepare for in the most beautiful way with your brotherly advice is the same angel that precious Meadow asked to be her Maid of Honor. How could I have known that back on the 2008 set of Fast … but maybe somehow you did. Miss you. My children always tell me that uncle Paul is with you dad, always … and I know in my heart that they are right. Miss you Pablo.”
Diesel shares Hania with his longtime partner, Paloma Jiménez, along with son Vincent, 12, and daughter Pauline, 7.
