“So proud of the person you are growing up to be”

“You opened parts of my heart that I didn’t know were there,” the “Fast and Furious” actor wrote in his tribute

Vin Diesel celebrates his eldest daughter’s 16th birthday!

The Fast X The 56-year-old star shared a rare photo of his daughter Hania “Similce” Riley Sinclair in an Instagram post along with a long, sentimental tribute to her on her 16th birthday.

In the picture he shared, Hania’s silhouette was seen against a sunset on a beach. She appeared to be wearing a red dress as she faced east, and her curly hair could be seen blowing in the wind behind her.

“On this exact day 16 years ago… I was pacing in (Paul Walker’s) trailer after a long day of filming. When I told him I would be receiving you in a few hours, he gave me this great advice that made this experience the most beautiful moment of my life,” he captioned the post.

Related: Vin Diesel’s 3 children: Everything about Hania, Vincent and Pauline

Diesel was probably alluding to the fact that Walker had advised him to take a more active role in the birth of his daughter, which he had previously mentioned. The Jonathan Ross ShowThis led him to be in the delivery room with his partner Paloma Jiménez during the birth and to cut Hania’s umbilical cord.

On Instagram, he also praised Hania for opening his heart and bringing joy into his life in the years that followed.

“Searching for the words for today…how to express the pride, the joy…the light you brought to the world. The meaning with which your soul illuminated life itself. Blessed and grateful am I through the lens through which I have been fortunate enough to view all things,” the star wrote.

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“However, if I were to distill happiness, joy and love into a single source, it is you, my Alpha Angel,” he continued. “You have opened parts of the heart that I never knew were there. Your wisdom, compassion and kindness… your entire being proves that no matter how dark the world may seem… the light will always prevail.”

“I am so proud of the human you are growing up to be. Fatherhood has changed over the millennia… but what hasn’t changed is that it truly is the best gift… blessing a soul can experience,” he concluded the post. “Happy birthday my angel. Your proud and grateful father.”

Related: Vin Diesel hugs ‘gorgeous’ mother as he celebrates her 80th birthday

Diesel also has sons with Jiménez, Vincent Sinclair (13) and Pauline Sinclair (9) – who was named after Walker after his sudden death in 2013.

The actor’s eldest children have followed in his acting footsteps. Hania starred in the Netflix animated series, Fast and Furious: Spy Racerswhile his son in F9 as a younger version of his father’s character, Dominic Toretto.

He talked about the bond his children had with his fellow human beings Fast and Furious Cast and crew members as they grew up on the set during a performance in The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in 2021.

“We have been making these films for so long that every time one of my children is born, I usually Fast and Furious film,” he told the host. “So the director and the actors all have their own relationships with my children.”

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