Peter Cullen, the legendary voice of Optimus Prime in the Transformers franchise, passed away in August, and now a fan has unveiled a touching rolling tribute. Joe Fiduccia owns Optimus Is Here, the world’s first and only replica of the Optimus Prime truck from Transformers: Age of Extinction. Fiduccia considers the truck a rolling tribute to the character, and now a rolling tribute to the man who brought him to life. Working with an artist in Canada, Fiduccia created two memorials that feature Cullen’s head on the body of his iconic character in front of Cybertron, with the quote “When you look to the stars, think of one of them as my soul” from the ending of the film.
In addition, Fiduccia gave the Transformers fans the opportunity to be involved. Alongside the tribute to Cullen, there are 50 stars with initials and dates representing individuals who have passed away, including Fiduccia’s mother Judy and Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington. The stars were submitted and paid for by the fan community, and all of the funds went to covering the costs associated with the tributes that now adorn the truck, while also “memorializing them forever on a tribute that will be seen by millions around the globe,” Fiduccia said on the Optimus Is Here website.
Built in 2016 with legal permission from Hasbro, Fiduccia began the project to inspire his son. Now, ten years later, what he does has evolved into so much more. His work now inspires millions who follow their journey across social media and generates smiles with every mile. Fiduccia travels the United States and Canada with Optimus Prime. They have appeared at events, granted wishes for Make-A-Wish children, and even escorted a 15-year-old boy who passed away to his final resting place. He also goes to schools for unforgettable anti-bullying presentations, which have been delivered to almost 100,000 students across North America. Fiduccia was in the middle of doing presentations at a school in Indiana when the news broke about Peter Cullen’s passing.
“I knew immediately that I wanted to incorporate something on our replica truck in Peter’s honor. He deserves that remembrance … and as the owner of what is now a rolling tribute to a beloved character, I have an obligation to fulfill that for him,” Fiduccia said. Throughout their journey, they have added many memorials and tributes to the truck. The side panels on the front bumper feature memorials to the US military and Kyle Comeau, the artist behind Optimus Prime’s flames, who passed away before he could work on the screen-used trucks. There are also memorials for children who have passed away that Fiduccia provided with VIP visits, and most recently, the one he escorted in their funeral procession. Now Peter Cullen is memorialized as well. Added to the sleeper cab on November 7th, 2026, the tribute was unveiled to the public on November 12th through a recorded video after he set up for an event in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.
The live-action Transformers films can be quite divisive. Joe Fiduccia often receives comments on social media saying his truck isn’t the real Optimus Prime or that it is “just a truck” when people get excited to see it. But the Autobot leader is more than his vehicle mode, and Optimus Is Here is more than just a truck. What truly matters is what the character stands for and what Fiduccia does in representing him. No matter the continuity, Optimus Prime is a character with strong morals. He stands for justice, kindness, and freedom. In his obituary, Peter Cullen’s family asked his fans to “honor Peter’s remarkable legacy by serving your communities and leading others with compassion, integrity and loyalty and always remembering to, ‘be strong enough to be gentle.’” Cullen embodied the qualities of Optimus Prime.
For Fiduccia, honoring Cullen and his legacy goes beyond just the tributes on his truck’s sleeper cab. He will continue using Optimus Prime to inspire the world even more to honor the voice-acting legend. “I don’t take what we have lightly. Our replica has never been ‘just a truck’ to me. It is a symbol of hope, leadership, and all things that Optimus stood for,” Fiduccia said. “With Peter’s passing, it is now my responsibility to continue doing everything in my power to represent this character (and Peter’s legacy) in the way they both deserve. I will always try my best, with or without help, and absolutely appreciate the ongoing support from fans around the globe.”
Are you doing anything to honor Peter Cullen? Let us know down in the comments.
