FacebookPaul Walker spent his final hours on Saturday, Nov. 30, doing what he loved: helping others by attending a charity event for his organization, Reach Out Worldwide.
Bill Townsend, who was at the event and took this photograph with the late actor yesterday afternoon, spoke to E! News exclusively following the tragic car accident.
"He had been so happy," Townsend said of the Fast and Furious star's mood that day. "He was there at the event and had managed to raise thousands and so many people had brought toys."
"So many people had come out to support the charity and he was with his friends," Townsend added. "It was a great day for him. He was so overwhelmed to have so much support."
Townsend explained that Walker's organization meant "everything" to him, and he put "everything he could" into his charity. Walker also expressed to Townsend that he wanted to aid people in disaster situations, especially in the Philippines following the devastating typhoon last month.
Townsend left at around 3 p.m., and as he was driving home, he saw the fiery scene.
"I saw the fire engines and saw the smoke and I had a horrible feeling that something terrible had happened," Townsend said. "But I never would have thought it was Paul."
Townsend described the location of the crash as an "industrial road."
"It wasn't particularly bumpy," Townsend said. "It was quite wide."
Townsend remembered his friend as a man who "loved his family and he loved cars."
"He was a fantastic man," Townsend said.
Walker had business ties with Always Evolving Performance Motors, and the Reach Out Worldwide event was held at their shop.
Newton Wimer, an engineer with the car company, expressed his condolences about the death of Walker and the driver of the vehicle, Roger Rodas. Rodas was also the CEO of Always Evolving.
"They were two fun loving men who cared tremendously about other people," Wimer told E! News exclusively shortly after the crash. "They left behind a lot of people who they loved and supported with their time and any way they could."
Wimer explained that the two men went one time around the block and "didn't come back."
"Two men who gave so much were taken today," Wimer said. "They were gone on impact."
The Los Angeles County Sheriff confirmed on Saturday evening that "speed was a factor" in the fatal collision.
A source close to Walker's family tells E! News that his loved ones are "devastated" and "in total shock."
"It is the most heartbreaking day," the source revealed. "None of us know what happened, the police are investigating and will find out what happened."
The source said that someone tried to pull the two men out of the vehicle, but they were unable to do so.
"Roger and Paul were very close friends," the source said. "They were two men who loved their families more than anything. They put that before all their other business. They had the same outlook, that's why they got along so well."
"They were true friends who shared the same goals and interests," the source added.
Walker was described as an "amazing father" to daughter Meadow Walker, and he also "loved his mother more than anything in this world."
"Family came first to him," the source said. "He was an incredibly kind man. He gave so much to charity. He wasn't like all those other Hollywood types."
A worker from Always Evolving had to break the sad news to his mother, the source admitted.
"Paul adored his mother, he was incredibly close to her," the source said.
If you'd like to learn more about Walker's charity, Reach Out Worldwide, or make a donation, please visit http://www.roww.org.