Thousands of fans gathered yesterday in Santa Clarita in a public memorial for actor Paul Walker, who died in a car crash there earlier this month. The rally ended with a drive in honor of Walker, a car enthusiast and philanthropist. The gathering was peaceful and was organized by his Fast and Furious co-star, Rick Yune. Yune encourages everyone to celebrate Walker’s life and to remember him as a great guy.
Thousands of friends, fans and car enthusiasts paid tribute to Fast & Furious star Paul Walker at a special car rally and public memorial service in Los Angeles.
High performance car fans revved their engines in his honour at the event in Santa Clarita on Sunday.
The actor’s Fast & Furious co-star Rick Yune was among those who attended.
Walker and his friend Roger Rodas both died when Rodas’ Porsche crashed and burst into flames last Saturday.
“We mourn his loss, but maybe we could just remember how great a guy this guy was and celebrate his life,” Yune said at the event, which was organised through social media.
It had been due to start at midday, but people arrived hours early to leave flowers, candles, stuffed animals and other tributes. A crowd of around 5,000 people had gathered by the afternoon.
Police said the event was mostly peaceful, although a man was arrested for carrying a partially hidden and loaded gun and there were several tickets issued for illegal parking.
The memorial concluded with a cruise through the area, 30 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles.
Some may call it tasteless to honor the man with fast cars, and I think it is tasteless to spin out or do doughnuts where he passed. A rally sounds like a fitting tribute to a man who loved cars, and who starred in the most successful car racing franchise of all time. I don’t find it inappropriate.
Following Walker’s death, we’ve heard a lot about the man he was, and how he did so much good without seeking acknowledgment or thanks. He left a great legacy with his charity and good deeds, and that’s just part of the reason why so many people are affected by his untimely death.
Here’s a video of part of the rally. It included a donation booth for his charity, Reach Out Worldwide.
Thousands paid tribute to Paul Walker and Roger Rodas in Valencia. @SteveKuzj reports. http://t.co/vILc8b0xGo – pic.twitter.com/lTXaQfRycX
— KTLA (@KTLA) December 9, 2013
A Paul Walker memorial in California drew thousands: http://t.co/7pP4aNRM4r pic.twitter.com/fSYljKrLoW
— AOL (@AOL) December 9, 2013
Massive amount of cars heading to the Paul walker Memorial crash site near Six Flags. pic.twitter.com/rNXWnycp5f
— Ma Brothers (@SoCalThemePk360) December 8, 2013
I also have to mention this banner which flew over the memorial. CNN covered it, so I don’t think this is Photoshopped. However CNN reports that “It was not clear whether Hilton had sponsored the aerial banners.” Hilton was targeted by an Internet hoax last week in which a fake tweet from her seemed to confuse Nelson Mandela with Martin Luther King, Jr. She’s an easy target because she does say and do a lot of dumb things.
Awful Paris Hilton orders plane to fly over Paul Walker's memorial with her name on a banner http://t.co/DEaGEY5okZ pic.twitter.com/Mc7OUB7SKZ
— Holy Moly! (@HolyMoly) December 9, 2013
photo credit: WENN.com
Nice tribute – he loved cars, it’s his social circle, I think he would have hugely approved. It’s not like friends remembering, say, Grace Kelly with a rally!
He loved speed so I guess that’s fine. That said, I’ve been thinking about Cory Monteith too. I don’t know why but I can’t get them out of my mind. They were both such sweet sweet boys. Sigh.
Aww! I wish I was there. It is a good idea. I sure will miss him. Shame I didn’t know more about his real self (but how could I? He never spoke much about it) but I’m happy to know that he was a good man. RIP Paul Walker.
You mean they’re paying tribute to the character he played in those movies.
Paul extended his love of cars into his personal life, and was a co- owner of a racing team, was very knowledgeable and passionate about cars and was a sports car entusiasiast, and opened the business with the other man who died, Always Evolving, that customized and sold high-performance cars, went to events That’s why fans loved him. They considered him one of their own, not just him playing the character in the movie.
No. He, as a person, was very passionate about cars.
A great tribute.
I just read he helped build his own house out in Indonesia where he had to build a road to get to it. And he said being part of building it makes it meaningful. No electricity. Just way out in the boonies where no one can find him. He goes there for two to three weeks at a time and has to catch his own food, fishing or spearing, and he harvested his own rice and lives by candlelight and stays out there. He said if he went there a lot it would get old, but it’s special to go there for three weeks. He was a fascinating person in his love of nature and conservation and wildlife. Those shark tagging expeditions he went on that were filmed sound interesting, too.
How the hell can inappropriate be put in the title? He loved cars. Just because this isn’t Kim or Beyonce it gets labeled inappropriate. Let his fans remember him in one of his passions that is their passion as well. I’d be out in the Washington tribute with my 240sx if I didn’t have to work.
It is a tribute fitting for a man whose passion was cars. The only thing I would have a problem with is people doing doughnuts when there are other civilians around that could possibly be injured.
Exactly. I’m pretty sure that the people doing doughnuts were aware of their clear zone and not off in a school crossing peeling out. So the inappropriate tag I think is unneeded.
Fitting. He was passionate about racing. There was a rally here in Atlanta too.
I don’t know if I posted this last week when I read it, but this is a moving tribute by Paul’s longtime manager who had been with him for almost 20 years talking about Paul and things you don’t know about him and the type of person he was. I thought I linked it but maybe not.
http://www.deadline.com/2013/12/paul-walkers-manager-matt-luber-looks-back-on-18-years-growing-up-together/
wow. If only people were this upset about Mandela. The world would be a better place.
Mandela’ passing has received a huge outpouring of love and posts on the internet on places like Huffington Post and all over and news stories, and worldwide attention. I don’t know where you are reading but it has been a huge big deal.
wow…. maybe because no one expect this to happend, and the way it happend which is horrible…. in a millions years i woudn´t imagine that Paul dies.
To piggyback off lylaooo Mandela was sick and expected to pass away at any time. No one was expecting the death of Walker. Mandela’s death has received worldwide media attention from small town mayors to heads of states. You don’t hear the President talking about the death of Walker do you. Yes Mandela was a great international figure and deserves attention, which he has received. So why can’t fans who loved Walker celebrate his life as well. Walker was also a man who did great things that went unnoticed by most people. He didn’t have to give of his time and money to worthy causes but he did.
it amazes me the way fans react to Walker´s dead.. i used to wathc her movies and really like him so hearing about his dead really makes me sad… but i bet no one imagine ..not even Paul that people would react this way.. i think people is going to see himas a real idol. when someone die in a dramatic way they turn in to leyends or idols…at least is how i see it.
Wow, your comment shows your ignorance. Get off a GOSSIP site if you’re that offended with people celebrating Paul Walker’s life. Get on a wide variety of other sites that deal with political figures and I can promise you that you’ll see the reaction towards Mandela.
This is actually a pretty common thing for racers to do, but there is usually one a-hole who will do a burnout “in honor” of the deceased. Nice to know that didn’t happen.
The fact that CNN covered the banner is no guarantee that it wasn’t Photoshopped. Was there a video recording of it as well or just the photo? If there only was a photo, that makes it a bit more suspicious.
Nice tribute.
Yes indeed it is Miss M.
Mandela was 95 years old and died of natural causes. Paul was in the prime of his life and died in a terrible tragedy.
Huge difference.
Paris Hilton is an a**hole. Couldn’t she just have had that tribute Banner flown without having to add her name to it? I hate to see famewhores like her exploiting other celebrities’ deaths
So creepy – a new low for getting attention. @$$hole was the word that came to mind concerning Ms HIlton.
If his friends and family are okay with it, I don’t see how I’d have any cause to complain. Honoring someone’s death is ultimately more about the living than the dead, and this may very well give them some comfort.
He received a similar tribute from his French fans http://www.gala.fr/l_actu/news_de_stars/un_hommage_particulier_a_paul_walker_en_banlieue_parisienne_303687/#xtor=RSS-10
Less appropriate: The rally attendees who drove there like the highway was their personal racetrack. We encountered a pack of them, weaving in and out of traffic like they were in a video game and not on a busy interstate (yes, busy on a Sunday–it’s southern California) where their fellow drivers’ moves were not choreographed.
Surprised noone has covered his underage girls things, though.
I know, probably not right timing, but still kind of icky, nevertheless….
I came here to post that same thing. Really colored my opinion of him. What was it, something like a 16 year old when he was 28, and after they broke up, another 16 year old at 33?
I guess it’s ok to go after 16 year olds when your rich and good looking. If an ugly 33 year old living in his mothers basement was dating 11th grade girls people would call the police.
I find it amusing how that part of his life, a 33 year old man dating a 16 year old and before that a 28 year old man dating a 16 year old, gets glossed over.
Hi Team,
I firmly believe that if Paul Walker was driving the Porsche 2005 Carrera GT, this tragic accident would not have happened.
Remember, Porsche is doing there job by delivering the most racified version of a street legal sports car. They have another lawsuit dating back to 1980 for 2.5 million dollars; for which the deceased family won, against Porsche.
I saw the pictures of his girlfriend. According to his manager, he was shopping around for a ring for. She is quite an ordinary woman. He had unlimited selection to all the beautiful woman in the world but he chose to love her and was faithful to her.
Overall, I see a good man of good character.
Why are people mesmorised by him? He is tall, good looking, great smile, handsome and puts you at ease.
With all the narcissim, arrogance, egocentricity, money that he had at his disposal; he did very well as a man; and choose to do good with his money.
Men use to mature at 35, now it is considered 43.
We are very sad.. i can’t believe it yet… i think this cars tribute was a greatful way to remember Paul.. !
This is an italian fans tribute page.. https://m.facebook.com/paulwalkerfansitalia
Race In Paradise Paul!