Paul Walker's mother reflects on the fifth anniversary of fatal car crash

Friday marks five years since Paul Walker, of the "Fast & Furious" franchise, died in a fiery crash. He was 40.

In a new interview with People, his mother, Cheryl Walker, reveals she had spoken to him that day. He was on a break from filming "Furious 7" at the time of the wreck.

“We were having this good conversation, and he’d forgotten about an event he had,” said Cheryl. “He got a text and said, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m supposed to be somewhere!’ ” 

It turned out to be the last conversation they would ever have.

That event was a charity car show benefiting his Reach Out WorldWide initiative, which dispatches first responders and experts in the medical and construction industries to help with relief efforts for natural disasters.

Walker was a passenger in a Porsche Carrera GT being driven by friend Roger Rodas at more than 100 miles per hour when it spun out of control, crashed and burst into flames, killing them both.

According to a January 2014 autopsy report issued by the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office, the two men died of traumatic and thermal injuries.

Walker's daughter Meadow and the actor's father later sued the driver's estate, winning a $10 million settlement. They also filed a wrongful death suit against Porsche's North American division.

In 2017, the Walkers' legal team discovered damaging internal emails sent among executives at the carmaker, including one that noted the accident rate for the rare GT model and said the Walker crash would drive up the value of the remaining 1,200 GTs made.

The Walkers settled with Porsche in 2017.

The movie franchise forever linked to Walker has continued on.

After his death, "Furious 7" shut down production to allow the cast and crew to grieve before resuming in March 2014 with the goal of finishing to honor his memory.

"Everyone took a moment and respectfully created some space after Paul's death,"star Dwayne Johnson recalled to USA TODAY in April 2014 ahead of the movie's release. "And then we galvanized and regrouped. And tried to make the best out of a terrible situation."

The "Fast & Furious" franchise continued. The eighth chapter arrived in theaters in April 2017, recruiting new stars like Charlize Theron and Helen Mirren. A ninth is due in April 2020, one year after the spinoff "Hobbs and Shaw" starring Johnson, Jason Statham, Idris Elba and "The Crown" star Vanessa Kirby.

But Walker, whose remains are interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles, is far from forgotten.

On Sept. 12, 2015, on what would have been his 42nd birthday, Meadow, now 20, announced the launch of the Paul Foundation, a program devoted to protecting oceans and wildlife, one of his favorite causes.

His story was told in a documentary, "I Am Paul Walker," that aired in August on the Paramount Network.

Meanwhile, his mother continues to hear from his fans and those who have been touched by his films and charity work.

“I’ve gotten letters from people all over the world who said he made a difference in their lives," his mother told People. "That is such a blessing."

Contributing: Brian Truitt, Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY

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