Vin Diesel remembers his friend Paul Walker.
Diesel, 56, shared a touching tribute to Walker, who died in 2013, in honor of what would have been the late actor’s 50th birthday on Tuesday.
“A decade… ten long years… and yet it seems like yesterday when we sang you happy birthday for the big 40!” the Quick X the star wrote, referring to the upcoming tenth anniversary of Walker’s death and the last birthday they celebrated together.
“The world is not the same brother… as a species, you could say we are fighting. But I’m thinking of you, I’m smiling and I know everything will be alright,” Diesel wrote.
Diesel then shared the backstory of the photo – which features a younger version of the two actors; Walker’s arm around Diesel, and Diesel is holding what looks like a cocktail shaker.
“For me, this picture represents the moment I knew we were going to be brothers forever,” Diesel explained. “January 2010, the night before you and I left for Haiti… the passion and joy you had to simply help people. You said that first responders shouldn’t wait for anyone… and that’s what you wanted to dedicate your life to. The first responders… that was your true self, and you shared that with me, your brother.”
The earthquake that struck Haiti in 2010 — widely recognized as one of the worst natural disasters in modern history — prompted Walker not only to visit with Diesel and help with rescue and recovery efforts, but also to start Reach Out Worldwide, a charity dedicated to helping people devastated by natural disasters.
The actor was leaving a charity event when he died in a car crash in November 2013.
Diesel also shared that his son, Vincent, 13, saw him looking at a photo of himself and Walker Jr. and said, “‘It’s such a timeless photo, Dad… one that will live on for generations of humanity.'”
Vincent added, “‘That’s why I want to build cars for him,'” Diesel shared in the post.
Vin Diesel and Paul Walker on the red carpet of “Fast & Furious” 2009.
Jeff Vespa/WireImage
Vin Diesel pays tribute to Paul Walker 9 years after his death: ‘I love you and miss you’
Meadow Walker, daughter of the late actor, also paid tribute on Tuesday in honor of her father’s birthday.
“Happy birthday to my guardian angel 🤍”, the model and actress wrote with a cute black and white photo from her childhood. “Thank you for your love, guidance, friendship, sunshine and for raising me to see all the beauty of the world. You are the kindest, humblest, most generous and caring soul I know. You taught me at a young age to always treat everyone with respect, to do good and take care of our planet.”
She added: “I love you and miss you every day.”
Paul Walker and his daughter Meadow Walker. Meadow Walker/Instagram Paul Walker’s brother Cody names newborn after actor nearly 10 years after death (Exclusive)
The 24-year-old has spent much of this year paying tribute to her father, as she filmed a cameo in the latest Fast and furious war, Quick Xthis spring.
“Thanks to my dad, I was born into a fast family. I can’t believe that now I can be worse. With those who were around to see me grow,” she wrote in an Instagram post announcing the cameo. “I am so blessed to be able to honor my father’s legacy and share this with him forever.”
Meadow’s cameo was also special for the cast members.
“It did something to my soul, to see her want to honor her father and contribute in her own way to his life’s work,” Diesel told PEOPLE about the appearance. “… It meant everything.”
Michelle Rodriguez said: “That’s all for us because [Paul’s] the memory will never die within the franchise, so as long as we do that, we have to keep it going, [keeping his] living energy.”
Meadow is now “woven into the fabric forever,” Jordana Brewster said, adding, “Being on set and working my ass off was really, really inspiring.”
The cast of the movie ‘The Fast and the Furious’ in 2001.
Universal/Getty Images
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
IN Quick XMeadow plays a flight attendant who gives Jakob Toretto (John Cena) several small bottles of alcohol.
Walker starred in the first seven films of the action franchise. He last appeared as Brian O’Conner in Furious 7which debuted in 2015. Filming was completed with the help of his brothers, Caleb and Cody Walker, who played his character’s body doubles after his death.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education