Paul Walker was one of the biggest sweethearts in Hollywood’s entire entertainment industry, especially renowned for starring in masterpieces from the Fast and Furious franchise. But after starring in only six movies from the fan-favorite saga, the late actor faced his unexpected death at the age of 40 on one blurry night due to a brutal accident in his Porsche.
However, while many fans know that the cause of his death was the collision of his car with a curb, tree, and a light pole, what they don’t know is that this is only something scratching the surface of what actually happened that night. If anything, the autopsy reports brought forward such horrors from the incident that even Fast and Furious fans would be scared to drive a car after reading it.
Paul Walker’s Autopsy Reports Showed Beyond-Tragic Causes of Death
On the 30th of November, 2013, Hollywood lost Paul Walker, one of its best gems, and his friend Roger Rodas, in an accidental collision that his sports car, 2005 Porsche Carrera GT, got into.
This happened after driver Rodas lost control of the car “for unknown reasons” while driving at more than 100 mph in an industrial area of Santa Clarita, east on Hercules Street, killing both of them.
But there’s more to this story than what the eyes saw and the initial reports told, according to what the later autopsy reports brought forward.
While the initial details revealed the car hit a tree, then a light pole, then spun 180 degrees before finally slamming into a second tree and erupting in flames, the detailed autopsy reports revealed the causes of death, which were even more tragic.
According to the details shared by the Los Angeles Times, the reports from the L.A. County coroner’s office revealed that the cause of death for the Fast and Furious actor was “severe blunt head, neck, and chest trauma.”
Along with this, he is also reported to have sustained broken bones including his arm, wrist, jaw, and ribs. Moreover, his body was reportedly burned “beyond recognition.”
Further details from The Guardian‘s coverage of the coroner’s report reveal that Walker actually died due to the combined effects of traumatic as well as “thermal injuries.” As for Rodas: He was met with a fractured skull along with “multiple traumatic injuries.“
The reports further state that the car was found “totaled with major traffic collision damage all around and it appeared that the vehicle was almost split in half.”
Making all of this even more agonizing were the details further covered by Looper, who reported that, besides the thermal injuries, the “pugilistic stance” in which Walker was found (i.e. with flexed elbows and knees, as per the source) was because the intense heat of the fire caused his body tissue and muscles to contract.
But, perhaps the most excruciating detail of this entire report was the fact that Walker had soot in his teacher, meaning he was alive and breathing during the fire, as well as the revelation that approximately 14% carbon monoxide saturation was found in his bloodstream — 12% more than normal levels — a poisoning that is very slow and painful.
Yet, while the Hollywood sweetheart Paul Walker had to die such a terrifyingly painful death, his brother and pals aren’t letting go of him this easily. This is evident from how his brother Cody Walker and Tyrese Gibson, his co-star from the Fast and Furious saga, continue to honor him at FuelFest this year as well by keeping up “a part of his legacy.”
Cody Walker and Tyrese Gibson are Fulfilling “A part of” Paul Walker’s Legacy
Although more than a decade has passed since Paul Walker’s devastating death in 2013, his brother Cody and close pal Tyrese Gibson continue to honor him by raising money for his nonprofit charity foundation Reach Out WorldWide (ROWW) through the global car racing show, FuelFest. This foundation sends help to areas affected by natural disasters.
Talking about the same in an interview with Us Weekly, Cody said:
Tyrese and I, and through FuelFest and through everything we’ve done here, we’ve been able to raise about a half a million dollars to date, so we’re very, very proud of that.
Their reasoning behind this? To honor this part of their late brother and friend’s legacy. As Cody Walker said:
Obviously, that’s a piece of Paul that he left behind that we see as part of his legacy, so it’s an honor to be able to have so much fun and doing something that he would himself enjoy and something that helps to keep that dream alive.
As for Gibson: He feels the same way, considering how he revealed during the same interview how “it has been an honor to keep that specific passion of Paul’s alive on behalf of our brothers.”
Reportedly, this year’s event will be just as tremendous as all previous ones, considering how celebrities like Xzibit will be joining it as well.
All of this being said, one thing’s for sure: Paul Walker may have left this world a bit too early than the rest of us, but he didn’t fail to leave a special indelible mark on the people he left behind, through his outstanding personality and the admirable work he did throughout his career.
The first six Fast and Furious films starring Paul Walker are available to be streamed on Peacock.
