Paul and Roger were on their way to a charity event in Santa Clarita organized by Paul's Reach Out Worldwide Foundation (ROWW) for the survivors of typhoon Haiyan. Roger was the driver of a red Porsche Carrera GT, with Paul at the passenger seat; they both lost their lives when the car went out of control, crashed, and went ablaze, trapping them inside.
It is with a truly heavy heart that we must confirm that Paul Walker passed away today in a tragic car accident while attending a charity event for his organization Reach Out Worldwide. He was a passenger in a friend's car, in which both lost their lives. We appreciate your patience as we too are stunned and saddened beyond belief by this news. Thank you for keeping his family and friends in your prayers during this very difficult time. We will do our best to keep you apprised on where to send condolences.
Roger was the CEO of the car customization and performance shop Always Evolving. Sharing the same passion for cars and charity, he became Paul's financial advisor in 2007 and helped him establish ROWW.
Co-stars, family and friends remember Paul
Vin Diesel: My brother and I.....we aimed for the stars together....and achieved more than we ever hoped we could with f&f pic.twitter.com/TWWdoaEX1D
Ludacris: Your humble spirit was felt from the start, wherever you blessed your presence you always left a mark,… http://instagram.com/p/hXUk_5wa5K/
Tyrese: Not just a family on camera were a real family #WeJustCelebratedHis40th Pray for his daughter and… http://instagram.com/p/hZbSUSoZvG/
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson: Love you brother. http://instagram.com/p/hZDTAYoh7d/
When I was little he taught me to walk, taught me to smile, and taught me to never give up. I loved him even before I knew what love was. He was my hero. The REAL life hero! He will always be in my heart! It brings tears in my eyes as I write this. You're gone, but not forgotten! R.I.P Dad!
NOTE: I updated this write-up after learning the identity of Paul's companion—to point out that it wasn't Paul alone who perished in the fatal crash. Most articles online make the mistake of putting only Paul in their headlines, because he's a celebrity, and I don't want to share in that mistake.