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Paul Walker’s brother Cody Walker opened up to E! News about navigating his grief as he approaches the age Paul was at the time of his death. Plus, how Cody is honoring Paul's legacy with FuelFest.
Meadow Walker Posts Tribute to Late Dad Paul Walker
Cody Walker will soon be older than his older brother.
In the more than a decade since Paul Walker’s tragic passing in 2013, Cody—who was 15 years his brother’s junior—has grappled with the knowledge he will soon reach, and one day surpass, the age Paul was at the time of his death.
“Paul passed away way too young, at 40 years old,” Cody told E! News’ Francesca Amiker. “Every single year I get closer to 40, it just bums me out. It's weird to say that I'm 36, I'm going to be 37. And I feel like every year beyond 40 is going to be like, ‘He should have had this. Here's another year Paul should have had.’”
It’s a kind of survivor’s guilt, the FuelFest co-founder acknowledged.
“It's the guilt for getting there,” he explained, the “there” being his fourth decade. “The guilt is like, why? Why do some people get taken from us, and others stick around that you know shouldn't? It’s just the damnedest thing. It's not fair.”
But while Cody has had to learn to navigate his grief—and the score of complicated emotions that come with it—he’s also learned to make the most of every moment.
“It has taught me to be grateful for every day that you have,” Cody— href="http://www.eonline.com/news/1375631/paul-walkers-brother-cody-names-his-baby-boy-after-late-actor?query=cody%20walker" target="_blank" rel="noopener noopener noreferrer">who shares three kids with his wife Felicia—explained. “And to tell the people you love that you love them. I tell my kids that every day, I tell my wife that every day. Every time I talk to my parents, that's how we end our conversations.”
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In the years since Paul’s car accident, Cody—who says the Fast & Furious actor has “a huge influence” on his life, and was someone he “always looked up to”—has made a concerted effort to honor his brother’s legacy
And one of the ways he’s done so is through FuelFest: a kind of combination music festival, car show that blends together Paul’s love of cars and racing with his passion for community and giving back. Proceeds from the event go to support Paul’s charity Reach out Worldwide, which helps bring first responders to disaster areas to help augment local relief.
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“The whole idea was to bring car culture together under one roof,” Cody explained. “This isn’t just some car show—this is bringing The Fast and the Furious to life. This is a place where people can see and smell and feel the culture and the automotive pulse.”
And since starting FuelFest, Cody says he’s been able to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for Reach out Worldwide.
And for a car lover like him, it’s the perfect way to continuously honor Paul.
“It is the best thing ever,” Cody added. “I’m living the dream.”
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