Meadow Walker paid tribute to her late father Paul Walker in an emotional tribute for his 50th birthday on Instagram.
The 24-year-old model and actor penned a moving caption alongside a black and white photo of them together in a sweet father-daughter moment.
“Happy birthday to my guardian angel,” Meadow wrote. “Thank you for your love, guidance, friendship, sunshine and for raising me to see all of the beauty in the world. You are the most kind, humble, generous and caring soul I know. You taught me at a young age to always treat everyone with respect, to do good and to take care of our planet.”
She concluded the caption, saying: “I love you and miss you every day.”
Over the years, the late actor’s daughter has paid tribute to her famous father in many ways, most recently including a cameo appearance in Fast X, the latest Fast and Furious movie this year. Meadow opened up about what the experience meant to her and gave fans an insight into the behind-the-scenes of her cameo.
“A preview of my cameo in Fast X,” she wrote alongside a behind-the-scenes image from the production of herself on a monitor on set. “The first fast was released when I was one year old! I grew up on set watching my father, Vin, Jordana, Michelle, Chris and more on the monitors.”
She added, “Thanks to my dad, I was born into the fast family. I can’t believe now I get to be up there too. With those who have been around to see me grow up. I am so blessed to be able to honor my father’s legacy and share this with him forever x I love you all so much.”
Below the post, Meadow’s godfather and Fast and Furious franchise lead Vin Diesel commented with a single praying emoji. Paul Walker met Diesel in the first film of the movie franchise, and it was the beginning of a loving friendship. They went on to star in the first seven Fast and Furious movies together. But Paul Walker’s long run leading the franchise was tragically cut short as he made his final appearance in Furious 7 after he died in a tragic car accident in November 2013 while the film was in the middle of production.
The actor, 40 at the time, had been “attending a charity event for his organisation Reach Out Worldwide,” according to a post on his official Facebook page, when he and a friend died after their car crashed and exploded. When police arrived, they discovered the vehicle “engulfed in flames.” The police said in a statement: “The Los Angeles County Fire Department responded, extinguished the fire and subsequently located two victims inside the vehicle. The victims were pronounced dead at the scene.”
Following his death, the film was finished with his brothers Caleb Walker and Cody Walker appearing as body doubles for Paul’s character Brian O’Conner so that the franchise could give the beloved actor a proper send-off in honor of his tragic passing.