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Paul Walker Remembered: Actor's Dad Shares Heartwarming Memories of His Son, 1 Year After His Death

The Fast & Furious star died at age 40 in a car crash on Nov. 30, 2013

By Claudia Rosenbaum, Corinne Heller Nov 29, 2014 3:55 PMTags
Paul Walker, Father, Paul Walker, Sr.Dave J Hogan/Getty Images / CBS News

It's been almost one year since the tragic death of Paul Walker and his father, Paul Walker III, says he still feels his son's presence.

The Fast & Furious star, who sports his dad's bright blue eyes, died at age 40 in a car crash near Los Angeles on Nov. 30, 2013. He left behind a teenage daughter, Meadow.

Paul's father told E! News he sees the actor's face every day, hundreds of times. He also talks to his son.  

"I feel his presence every day," he said.

"I miss talking to him a great deal," he added. "He had a good heart." 

The actor spoke to E! News on the porch of his Southern California house—Paul's childhood home.

"There was always a lot of laughing in this house," the actor's dad said. "A lot of practical jokes."

He made comments just before Thanksgiving. During the holiday in past years, he would bring Paul and the actor's younger brothers, Cody and Caleb, to shoot arrows at an archery range near their house.

He said he remembered how Paul would sit on the benches with him on the porch and talk to neighbors that would walk past. When he was famous and people started recognizing him, the actor would graciously pose for photos and talk to them about their lives. He seldom discussed his own career or movies.

"He didn't like the limelight," his dad said.

"Paul said one time, 'I really don't like this business, but I can do a lot of good with the money I make,'" he added.

The actor is the founder of Reach Out Worldwide, a nonprofit foundation aimed at helping help mobilize aid workers when natural disasters strike.

"Paul just radiated love and you can't fake that," his dad said. "Paul had a really good heart. I thought, 'How did I deserve such a wonderful son?'" 

Paul loved sports, action, adventure, cars and the ocean.

"That was his magical kingdom," he said. "The ocean, and the other was the racetrack." 

Paul's father said he wanted to be by himself on the anniversary of the actor's death because he "didn't want to be around sad people." However, the phone calls have been pouring in.

"That's what helped me, my friends," he told E! News. "But the shock value is very much there."

Paul's father plans to go to the actor's gravesite on the anniversary of his death with some family members. He says he will bring coins with him to remember the times he and the actor played a made-up coin game during casting calls.

Meanwhile, he is also looking forward to January, when he is set to become a great-grandfather.

Paul also has two younger sisters. Cody is 26 and is the youngest sibling. Their father said the actor was almost like a second dad to him.

After Paul died, his brothers filmed several of his character's scenes for the newest Fast & Furious movie, Furious 7, which is set for release in April. Their dad said the two did not jump at the chance to do the movie.

"It's a hard thing to do to step in for your brother," he said.

Also following Paul's death, Cody joined Reach Out Worldwide. He announced this alongside a photo of the three Walker brothers on his Instagram page in January. Cody is now the group's CEO.

ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images

The actor's father says he has gone to the crash site many times over the past year.

"I just look at this wide road," he said. "And think, 'How did this happen?'"

Fans continue to leave flowers, toy cars and notes.

"They write nice things about my son," he said.