Paul William Walker IV(September 12, 1973 – November 30, 2013) was an American actor. He was known for his role as Brian OConner in the Fast & Furious franchise.

Walker began his career as a child actor in the 1980s, gaining recognition in the 1990s after appearing in the television soap opera The Young and the Restless; he received praise for his performances in the teen comedy She's All That and the comedy-drama Varsity Blues (both 1999) and saw international fame by starring in The Fast and the Furious (2001)

Early life and education

Walker was born on September 12, 1973, in Glendale, California.

Raised as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Walker had four younger siblings: Aimee, Ashlie, Caleb, and Cody. He spent the majority of his early life in the Sunland neighborhood of Los Angeles, and graduated from Village Christian School in 1991. Walker subsequently attended several community colleges in Southern California, majoring in marine biology.

Walker was raised in a Latter-day Saint household, but later became a non-denominational Christian. He lived in Santa Barbara with his dogs. He and Rebecca Soteros, a one-time girlfriend, had a daughter named Meadow Rain Walker, who lived with her mother in Hawaii for 13 years and then moved to California to live with Walker in 2011. Her godfather is Vin Diesel, with whom Walker shared a close bond; Diesel gave him the nickname Pablo, while Walkers mother referred to her son as Diesels other half.Walker was also close friends with fellow Fast & Furious co-star Tyrese Gibson.At the time of his death, Walker was in a relationship with Jasmine Pilchard-Gosnell.

Death

On November 30, 2013, at about 3:30 p.m. PST, Walker, 40, and Roger Rodas, 38, left an event for Walkers charity Reach Out Worldwide for victims of Typhoon Haiyan, with Rodas driving his 2005 Porsche Carrera GT.Traveling between 80 mph (130 km/h) and 93 mph (150 km/h) in a 45 mph (72 km/h) speed zone on Hercules Street in Valencia, a neighborhood of Santa Clarita, California, the car crashed into a concrete lamp post and two trees, catching fire.Rodas died of multiple trauma while Walker died from the combined effects of trauma and burns. Both of their bodies were burned beyond recognition