More than a decade after Paul Walker’s passing, an old part of his personal life has resurfaced online.
The renewed discussion centers on the Fast & Furious star’s relationship with Jasmine Pilchard-Gosnell, who was his longtime girlfriend when he passed away in a car crash in November 2013.
The fact that the couple began dating when Walker was 33 and Gosnell was 16 has once again divided social media.
Highlights
- Paul Walker's past relationship with Jasmine Pilchard-Gosnell has reignited debate over their reported 17-year age gap
- Social media remains divided, with some condemning the reported timeline.
- The renewed controversy has led some fans to reassess Walker's legacy.
"Truly disgusting. Why wasn't he thrown into prison?" one commenter wrote.
Paul Walker and his girlfriend were together for years before his passing
Jasmine Pilchard-Gosnell was Walker’s girlfriend when the actor passed away in 2013. At the time, Walker was 40, and Gosnell was 23.
At the time, the two had been together for about seven years, per Foreign Radar.
They also reported that the relationship began when Walker was 33, and Gosnell was 16. Multiple outlets have repeated that timeline over the years, although the exact circumstances of when they first began dating have not been independently documented.
The reported age gap was 17 years, which has continued to draw criticism.
The couple kept their relationship mostly private. Gosnell was reportedly living with Walker and had become close to his daughter, Meadow, who was 15 when her father passed away.
Old reports also alleged that Walker and Gosnell had discussed marriage and possibly having children together.
Walker already had Meadow from his earlier relationship with Rebecca Soteros.
People close to Walker also described Gosnell as an important part of his life.
Following Walker’s passing, Gosnell struggled deeply with the loss
Walker’s passing came after a charity car show in Santa Clarita, California.
He was a passenger in a Porsche Carrera GT driven by his friend Roger Rodas when the car crashed and caught fire.
Gosnell was with people connected to Walker when she received the news.
Jim Torp, an engineer who worked with Walker through his charity and automotive business, later described her reaction to Hollywoodlife.com.
Other reports said Gosnell’s mother, Julie, stayed with her as she dealt with the loss.
Her uncle Barton Bruner also spoke to the Daily Mail about how badly she was affected.
"Paul was a really good guy, and Jasmine is broken up by this. This is horrible news and unexpected. Her mother is with her, and she is comforting her.”
Bruner further shared that the couple had their ups and downs but were still together and looking toward their future.
"They had their ups and downs, but they were together and looking to spend a bright future together."
Gosnell rarely spoke to the media and has generally kept her life private
Gosnell largely stayed away from the public after Walker’s passing. Her father, Casey, later told the Daily Mail that she was receiving grief counseling.
"You have to understand that she is still terribly wounded by Paul's d*ath and will be for a long time."
She also shared a Facebook post to honor his passing, writing, “Every day, in some small way, memories of you come our way. Though absent, you are ever near, still missed, still I will always love you. Rest in peace, love.”
She also remained close to some members of his family in the period following his passing.
Reports said she attended Walker's funeral and remained close to members of his family during that period.
She was also reportedly studying in California around the time of his passing. Later reports linked her to work involving environmental and conservation-related fields, as well as her family's tree and landscaping business.
Her decision to remain private has meant that much of the public discussion about her relationship with Walker has come from old reports and comments from people around them rather than from Gosnell herself.
The relationship’s age gap brought the couple back into the spotlight
The relationship has been discussed many times since Walker’s passing, but social media has given the old story a new audience.
People looking back at the reported timeline are focusing on the fact that Gosnell was allegedly 16 when she and Walker began dating, leading to strong online reactions.
One person wrote, "Male celebrity who can realistically choose any woman on planet earth and chooses a 16-year-old."
Another added, "A 33-year-old man having a girlfriend who needed a permission slip for school field trips is wild."
A third said, "That age gap is deeply unsettling, especially given how young she was when the relationship began."
At the same time, others have pushed back against judging the entire relationship based only on the reported ages.
One commenter said, "Just because they dated doesn't mean he slept with her. There are some people who actually don't sleep with every person they date. I know that's tough for some of you to understand, but dating doesn't mean s*x."
Another wrote, "Paul is no longer here; you should be ashamed of yourselves."
"Defending this is absurd," a reader wrote
