Paul Walker's Brother Chooses to Honor Actor's Birthday, Avoids the Day He Died: 'I Hate That Date' (Exclusive)
"I don't highlight that date," Cody Walker says of the anniversary of brother Paul Walker's death
Frederick M. Brown/Getty
Cody Walker and Paul Walker in November 2003.Paul Walker's youngest brother Cody is opening up about how he navigates difficult reminders of Paul's death.
Thursday marks 10 years since the Fast & Furious actor died in a car crash on Nov. 30, 2013, at age 40.
Cody, 35, tells PEOPLE about the heavy day, saying, "To be completely honest with you, the date that I dwell more on every year is his birthday. Maybe that's more of my mechanism that I use."
"Obviously, I'm very aware of November 30, but it's not the day that I choose to dwell on. I concentrate more on September 12. That's where me, my family, close friends, we all reach out to each other," he says.
The day Paul died is not one he focuses on. Instead, he chooses to celebrate his brother's life. "I don't highlight that date. I hate that date," says Cody. "I think more of his birthday. That's when I think of him."
Related: Remembering Paul Walker's Career in Photos
Cody has also loved hearing stories of how Paul's work on screen affected his fans as he tours the world with FuelFest, live car events that donate a portion of proceeds to his late brother's nonprofit, Reach Out WorldWide.
Cody tells PEOPLE that ROWW is an important part of his brother's legacy — and speaks to Paul's desire to do more to give back than just write a check.
"He was like, 'No, I want to get in there and I want to help. I don't want to be part of some big old PR campaign or anything like that. I want to go to Haiti. I want to go help the people there. I want to go to Chile. I want to go to the Philippines, and I want to help,' " he recalls.
In September, Paul's daughter Meadow, 25, shared a tribute to her dad on Instagram for what would have been his 50th birthday.
"Happy birthday to my guardian angel," she wrote at the time. "Thank you for your love, guidance, friendship, sunshine and for raising me to see all of the beauty in the world. You are the most kind, humble, generous and caring soul I know."
She continued, "You taught me at a young age to always treat everyone with respect, to do good and to take care of our planet. I love you and miss you every day
Cody tells PEOPLE that Paul "loved being a father" and that he was always "so proud of" Meadow.
Meadow announced the founding of the Paul Walker Foundation back in September 2015 to celebrate what would have been her dad's 42nd birthday. In addition to raising awareness about environmental issues, the organization offers grants and scholarships to students and researchers studying marine science and advancing the field as a whole.
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Cody, who named his third child Paul Barrett Walker after his brother earlier this year, says Meadow "has grown to be such a beautiful young lady who has grabbed the torch and has done a wonderful job creating her foundation to preserve our oceans in honor of [Paul]."
He adds that the late movie star's "legacy is continuing," as Paul's non-profit ROWW "is still helping people all over the world."
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