Paul Walker co-star Tyrese Gibson comforted by Bishop TD Jakes
Bishop TD Jakes has reached out to Paul Walker's grieving co-star in The Fast and the Furious franchise, Tyrese Gibson.
Walker's fans and co-stars are still reeling after the 40-year-old's death in a horrific car crash last Saturday during a charity event in Santa Clarita, Los Angeles County.
Gibson was seen in tears on Sunday during a visit to the scene of the crash, which killed Walker and the driver of the Porsche he was in, Roger Rodas, instantly.
Soon after Walker's death, Gibson posted a message on his Twitter page asking for prayers for himself and for Walker's grieving family.
"My heart is hurting so bad no one can make me believe this is real Father God I pray that you send clarity over this cause I just don't understand My heart hurts it's broken no one can convince me that this is real.... Prayer warriors please pray real hard for his only child, his daughter and family," he wrote.
Gibson reportedly took a piece of the wreckage from the crash site as a keepsake of his friend, who he likened to a brother.
"Not just a family on camera were a real family #WeJustCelebratedHis40th," Gibson wrote in the caption of a short clip he posted to YouTube of Walker's recent 40th birthday celebrations. "Pray for his daughter and family and closest friends please this hurts #RIHAW ( Rest in HEAVEN Angel Walker ) Stay strong#FastFamily #MyLastPost."
He followed that up this week with an emotional Facebook message in which he said Bishop TD Jakes had "reached out" to him and "spoke healing and closure".
Gibson said he was drawing strength from Jakes' message in which the megachurch pastor reminded him that after losing a loved one "it feels like death has won" but in fact the victory of Christ has taken the sting out of all death.
"In moments like this, it feels - it feels like death has won. But the bible says that love is stronger than death," Jakes said.
"Your hearts are heavy, tears flow down. Your spirits are wounded. I feel that too. I didn't have the privilege of knowing him as long as many of you have done. I understand what it is to be in pain. You look around and everybody you love and everybody you can count on and everybody you can trust seems to be slipping through your fingers."
The Potter's House pastor continued: "I want you to understand in a very practical and pragmatic way that death has NOT won.
"Your tears may flow. Your pain may come. The flowers will wither. The cards will all be filed away. The phone will stop ringing. Mama said, they're going to stop ringing after a while. Cakes and pies all stop coming. Don't you dare think that death has won.
"You will learn what all of us know who have lost people that we love. You'll be driving down the street one day and you'll hear Paul's voice talking in your head. Something he said or something he did will pop up in your spirit and you'll giggle inside of yourself as if he were sitting in the car with you. And you will find that people that you really love, they may leave you outwardly, but they never leave you inwardly.
"May the love of God, the peace of the Holy Spirit, the sweet communion of knowing that you are a child of the king keep you through this period in life when it might appear as if death has won, but it's alive. Love will last forever, for God is love."