Dear Meadow Walker,
I am aware how much of a long shot it is that this letter will find even find you, and compared to you, I’m a nobody, and I know you’re a busy person, but in the hopeful off chance that this finds you, so as not to waste your time, let me immediately tell you why I’m writing this letter. I am Nick Jones. I live in Tyler, Texas. I am 23 years old now, but on January 11, 2010, when I was 18, just a couple years older than you are at the time I write this, I lost my Dad to a sudden, massive heart attack; severe atherosclerosis; plaque in an artery of His heart. It was the first day of my second semester of my senior year. Since May of this year, I’ve had an overwhelming urge to write you some words of encouragement, and couldn’t resist any longer.
I must admit that I solely know your father Paul as his portrayal of Brian O’Conner, and I honestly did not even see a single Fast and Furious movie until this past summer, May 2015, when I went and visited a friend in Sacramento, CA. He almost disowned me when I told him I’d never seen them, so we marathon’d the entire series and then went and saw F7 in theaters. As a 23 year-old male, I will admit that I got choked up at the end of it, and I dare any man to say he did not. I had no idea that Mr. Walker had a daughter until after the accident and I went on an internet spree looking into it, and let me tell you, Meadow, my heart goes out to you. Just from the pictures I can see and posts of yours I’ve read, I know you two had a very special relationship; the likes of which I hope to have with my future daughters. I can tell that your dad was a kindred soul and a good man with a big heart. Oddly enough, TMZ gives us a glimpse into your dad’s character with a 2:01 clip on YouTube titled “TMZ’s last footage of the actor” (I omitted the first three words of the title for reasons which will be obvious). In this clip, TMZ is doing they do best, annoying your dad with stupid jokes. At one point, they say, “Hey uhh, you gonna do uh, Fast and Furious 38?” To which your dad merely grins and replies, “We’re talkin’ 66 right now”. This small clip gives a glimpse into your dad’s character and what patience and humility he has with his dry humor and calm demeanor. It really, honestly reminds me of my own Dad. Dry-humored, humble, and uncomfortable with the limelight.
Meadow, I’m not going to say that I know how you feel, because every person’s experience is unique and everyone’s story is their own, but I have an idea of how you feel right now, and I know it’s rough. The following two years after I lost my Dad, I made five tribute videos to Him, and it was not until afterwards that I realized those videos were my grieving process. I also did not realize until three years later how messed up I had been from His absence in my Life and what poor decisions I had made that I probably would not have made had He been around. Chief among these was dating and almost marrying a girl that was 110% wrong for me and I knew in hindsight He would not remotely approve of. In ever dating her, I had gone directly against advice He gave me in one of the few serious talks we ever got to have, six years prior, the first semester of my senior year of high school. I swore ever since we lost Him that I would Live my Life to honor and reflect Him. I’m sure you have made the same promise. I made a mistake, but I learned from it, and the most important thing is that we learn from the inevitable mistakes we make. Learning from our mistakes is the only way we grow and succeed.
Meadow. From what little I know of you, and what little I can see, it is obvious that you’re a good person, and I have no doubt that you bring honor to Paul, and he is proud of you. He always was, and he always will be. You are his baby girl. The father-daughter bond is like nothing else in this world. You have handled this tragedy better than most people ever do. It’s something that nobody but those of us that experience really understand. I always say, I can never explain to people how awful and how weird it is to lose a parent, and how much it changes your Life, your family dynamic, and your future family’s Life, forever. My Father did not get to see me graduate high school, or college, and my wife and children will never know Him; I’m the closest thing they’ve got, and they will know Him through me. That is our goal. That is the promise we made the day these tragedies happen; to Live in a way that honors them and reflect them to the world. One of the songs I used in the fifth tribute video for my Dad was Keep On The Sunny Side by The Whites, and one verse I never really noticed until today that perfectly reflects this situation, especially more so for you at this point, goes like this:
“Though the storm and its fury rage today
Crushing hopes that we cherish so dear
The clouds and storm will, in time, pass away
The sun again will shine bright and clear”
Meadow, I know that, no matter what, frankly, it sucks. I’m at a point now where I’m beginning to forget the best little things; His laugh, His smile, what He felt like, what His presence felt like. I tell you this now so you can avoid it for yourself. Keep everything fresh. Keep constant reminders of him around. meditate on his affect and impact on your life. I’ve also realized that there will be a point in time, when I turn 37, that I will have lived more of my Life without Him in my story than I did with Him in my story. It’s a strange, haunting thought, but all of it is all the more reason to make the time you did have with him count. Make him proud; as you already are. Tell his story. Use this experience and this pain to help others and teach others. Some, I dare say, most people, don’t take these things as well as you or I. All of it builds character, and works out for good, if we learn from it. I’d like to share a couple of scriptures from the Bible with you. The first, I just read today, right before I finally decided I was going to write this letter, and I think it is definitely fitting for you, and the type of girl your dad aimed to raise. Ironically, the first verse also reminds me of your godfather’s famous quote from the F&F series about living life a quarter-mile at a time. It’s Proverbs 31:25-27:
"25 She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. 26 When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness. 27 She carefully watches her household, and suffers nothing from laziness."
This second one is definitely a Life verse of mine, and you’ve probably heard it before. It’s Romans 8:28:
“And we know that all things work together for good for those who are the called, according to His purpose.”
I didn’t mean for this letter to be too long. I hope that it finds its way to you and does anything at all to help you, ease any pain, etc. If you do see this, I would like to make you an offer. I do video production, and if you would ever like me to make a tribute video of Mr. Walker as I’ve made of my Dad, I would be more than happy to, free of charge, of course. Possibly a bizarre offer, but it’s what I do, so I just though I’d offer.
God bless you, Meadow. Stay strong and keep up the good work; with The Paul Walker Foundation, with being his daughter, a humanitarian, and everything. Always seek truth. In closing, because I’m a nerd at heart, here’s a quote I often think of from one of my favorite video game characters;
“Never doubt yourself. Just let it make you stronger. Learn something from it.” - Solid Snake
In All Honor,
Nick Jones
#meadowwalker #paulwalker #paulwalkerfoundation #fastandfurious #RIPpaulwalker #letter #lettertomeadowwalker #tmz #youtube #meadowwalkervsporsche #meadowwalkerporsche
I am aware how much of a long shot it is that this letter will find even find you, and compared to you, I’m a nobody, and I know you’re a busy person, but in the hopeful off chance that this finds you, so as not to waste your time, let me immediately tell you why I’m writing this letter. I am Nick Jones. I live in Tyler, Texas. I am 23 years old now, but on January 11, 2010, when I was 18, just a couple years older than you are at the time I write this, I lost my Dad to a sudden, massive heart attack; severe atherosclerosis; plaque in an artery of His heart. It was the first day of my second semester of my senior year. Since May of this year, I’ve had an overwhelming urge to write you some words of encouragement, and couldn’t resist any longer.
I must admit that I solely know your father Paul as his portrayal of Brian O’Conner, and I honestly did not even see a single Fast and Furious movie until this past summer, May 2015, when I went and visited a friend in Sacramento, CA. He almost disowned me when I told him I’d never seen them, so we marathon’d the entire series and then went and saw F7 in theaters. As a 23 year-old male, I will admit that I got choked up at the end of it, and I dare any man to say he did not. I had no idea that Mr. Walker had a daughter until after the accident and I went on an internet spree looking into it, and let me tell you, Meadow, my heart goes out to you. Just from the pictures I can see and posts of yours I’ve read, I know you two had a very special relationship; the likes of which I hope to have with my future daughters. I can tell that your dad was a kindred soul and a good man with a big heart. Oddly enough, TMZ gives us a glimpse into your dad’s character with a 2:01 clip on YouTube titled “TMZ’s last footage of the actor” (I omitted the first three words of the title for reasons which will be obvious). In this clip, TMZ is doing they do best, annoying your dad with stupid jokes. At one point, they say, “Hey uhh, you gonna do uh, Fast and Furious 38?” To which your dad merely grins and replies, “We’re talkin’ 66 right now”. This small clip gives a glimpse into your dad’s character and what patience and humility he has with his dry humor and calm demeanor. It really, honestly reminds me of my own Dad. Dry-humored, humble, and uncomfortable with the limelight.
Meadow, I’m not going to say that I know how you feel, because every person’s experience is unique and everyone’s story is their own, but I have an idea of how you feel right now, and I know it’s rough. The following two years after I lost my Dad, I made five tribute videos to Him, and it was not until afterwards that I realized those videos were my grieving process. I also did not realize until three years later how messed up I had been from His absence in my Life and what poor decisions I had made that I probably would not have made had He been around. Chief among these was dating and almost marrying a girl that was 110% wrong for me and I knew in hindsight He would not remotely approve of. In ever dating her, I had gone directly against advice He gave me in one of the few serious talks we ever got to have, six years prior, the first semester of my senior year of high school. I swore ever since we lost Him that I would Live my Life to honor and reflect Him. I’m sure you have made the same promise. I made a mistake, but I learned from it, and the most important thing is that we learn from the inevitable mistakes we make. Learning from our mistakes is the only way we grow and succeed.
Meadow. From what little I know of you, and what little I can see, it is obvious that you’re a good person, and I have no doubt that you bring honor to Paul, and he is proud of you. He always was, and he always will be. You are his baby girl. The father-daughter bond is like nothing else in this world. You have handled this tragedy better than most people ever do. It’s something that nobody but those of us that experience really understand. I always say, I can never explain to people how awful and how weird it is to lose a parent, and how much it changes your Life, your family dynamic, and your future family’s Life, forever. My Father did not get to see me graduate high school, or college, and my wife and children will never know Him; I’m the closest thing they’ve got, and they will know Him through me. That is our goal. That is the promise we made the day these tragedies happen; to Live in a way that honors them and reflect them to the world. One of the songs I used in the fifth tribute video for my Dad was Keep On The Sunny Side by The Whites, and one verse I never really noticed until today that perfectly reflects this situation, especially more so for you at this point, goes like this:
“Though the storm and its fury rage today
Crushing hopes that we cherish so dear
The clouds and storm will, in time, pass away
The sun again will shine bright and clear”
Meadow, I know that, no matter what, frankly, it sucks. I’m at a point now where I’m beginning to forget the best little things; His laugh, His smile, what He felt like, what His presence felt like. I tell you this now so you can avoid it for yourself. Keep everything fresh. Keep constant reminders of him around. meditate on his affect and impact on your life. I’ve also realized that there will be a point in time, when I turn 37, that I will have lived more of my Life without Him in my story than I did with Him in my story. It’s a strange, haunting thought, but all of it is all the more reason to make the time you did have with him count. Make him proud; as you already are. Tell his story. Use this experience and this pain to help others and teach others. Some, I dare say, most people, don’t take these things as well as you or I. All of it builds character, and works out for good, if we learn from it. I’d like to share a couple of scriptures from the Bible with you. The first, I just read today, right before I finally decided I was going to write this letter, and I think it is definitely fitting for you, and the type of girl your dad aimed to raise. Ironically, the first verse also reminds me of your godfather’s famous quote from the F&F series about living life a quarter-mile at a time. It’s Proverbs 31:25-27:
"25 She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. 26 When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness. 27 She carefully watches her household, and suffers nothing from laziness."
This second one is definitely a Life verse of mine, and you’ve probably heard it before. It’s Romans 8:28:
“And we know that all things work together for good for those who are the called, according to His purpose.”
I didn’t mean for this letter to be too long. I hope that it finds its way to you and does anything at all to help you, ease any pain, etc. If you do see this, I would like to make you an offer. I do video production, and if you would ever like me to make a tribute video of Mr. Walker as I’ve made of my Dad, I would be more than happy to, free of charge, of course. Possibly a bizarre offer, but it’s what I do, so I just though I’d offer.
God bless you, Meadow. Stay strong and keep up the good work; with The Paul Walker Foundation, with being his daughter, a humanitarian, and everything. Always seek truth. In closing, because I’m a nerd at heart, here’s a quote I often think of from one of my favorite video game characters;
“Never doubt yourself. Just let it make you stronger. Learn something from it.” - Solid Snake
In All Honor,
Nick Jones
#meadowwalker #paulwalker #paulwalkerfoundation #fastandfurious #RIPpaulwalker #letter #lettertomeadowwalker #tmz #youtube #meadowwalkervsporsche #meadowwalkerporsche
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