In James Van Der Beek’s newest Instagram put up, the actor paid a touching tribute to his daughter Annabel on her twelfth birthday.
In a single day, information broke that the Dawson’s Creek actor had died on the age of 48, three years after he was recognized with colorectal most cancers.
He’s survived by his spouse, Kimberly Van Der Beek, and their six youngsters: Olivia, 15, Joshua, 13, Annabel, 12, Emilia, 9, Gwendolyn, 7, and Jeremiah, 4.
A number of weeks in the past, on Sunday, January 25, the actor shared a photograph of him hugging Annabel to have a good time her birthday, which she additionally shares along with her grandfather, James’ father.
‘It is my father and my daughter’s birthday at the moment. At first I believed that was all they shared – they appeared so completely different to me,” he captioned the put up, which additionally included a photograph of his daughter together with his father, James William.
“However now that you simply two have advanced, and introduced out extra of who you’re, I can acknowledge that very same open, heat, loving, mild coronary heart. I see the care and dedication you give to these you like most.

‘I see the identical out-of-the-box Aquarian creativity and originality. And also you each make each room you are in additional enjoyable. Totally different senses of humor, however you each have a manner of alchemizing the ambiance round you in such a refined manner that you could virtually miss how powerfully you do that.
“On this loopy world, I feel it is a miracle that you have managed to stay so open, so tender, and so genuinely good.”
He closed the put up by writing, “You guys are miracles… and I’m so extremely grateful to have you ever in my life. The world is a greater place since you are in it collectively. Joyful birthday, guys. I like you with all my coronary heart❤️
Kimberly’s most up-to-date Instagram put up was from December of final yr, when she shared a photograph of herself along with her husband and wrote, “Me and my bae.”
Van Der Beek was recognized with stage 3 colorectal most cancers in 2023, after which he publicly shared the information in November 2024.


“I’ve handled this prognosis privately and have taken steps to resolve it, with the help of my unbelievable household,” he stated on the time.
Final September, he was pressured to drag out of a Dawson’s Creek reunion charity occasion in New York Metropolis, however despatched a shock video message to company together with his spouse and their youngsters attending in individual.
In one among his final interviews – with Immediately in December – the actor shared that he felt “a lot, significantly better than he did a couple of months in the past.” ‘It has been an extended journey than I ever imagined. It has taken extra of me – extra persistence, extra self-discipline, extra energy than I knew I had. I knew I used to be robust – I did not know I used to be that robust. However I really feel good.’
The information of his loss of life was introduced on Instagram on Wednesday night with the caption: ‘Our beloved James David Van Der Beek handed away peacefully this morning. He met his ultimate days with braveness, religion and style.
‘There’s a lot to say about his needs, love for humanity and the sanctity of time. These days will come. For now, we ask for peaceable privateness as we mourn our loving husband, father, son, brother and pal.”
Who was James Van Der Beek married to and what number of youngsters did they’ve?

James David Van Der Beek was born in 1977 in Cheshire, Connecticut, the eldest of three youngsters of Melinda, who died in 2020, a dancer and fitness center trainer, and James William Van Der Beek, a mobile phone firm government.
The actor was beforehand married to Heather McCob, an actress greatest recognized for her performances in Occasion of 5 and Profiler.
They had been married from 2003 till their divorce in April 2009.
Simply over a yr later, he married enterprise guide Kimberly Brook on August 1, 2010 in a small ceremony on the Kabbalah Heart in Tel Aviv, Israel.
In a 2020 Instagram put up, Van Der Beek described their first assembly and the whirlwind begin to their relationship.

“I used to be in Israel, touring with an organized group, when it dawned on me: I used to be accomplished being single,” he stated.
‘I wished an actual relationship. A soulmate. Somebody I may begin a household with. I used to be in the midst of an epiphany, rattling off all this to a pal of mine when a voice interrupted us and wished to ask him a query. I used to be aggravated. Who the hell trespassed on my total second?’
That voice was Kimberly’s. ‘Three days later I requested her what she was on the lookout for in a relationship. Her response: “I am not on the lookout for a relationship.” Six months later we had been residing collectively. Two weeks after that we had been pregnant, and virtually precisely a yr to the date after she first interrupted me… we had been married.”
The couple went on to welcome six youngsters: Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn and Jeremiah.
What had he stated about his household?

Over time, Van Der Beek had often spoken about how vital being a father was to him.
In June final yr, he shared on Instagram how fatherhood was “probably the most cherished honor of my life.” Addressing his youngsters, he wrote, “Thanks to my youngsters for educating me once more the best way to dwell, chortle, love, and present up in my very own life and on the earth.”
In 2019, he defined how he and his spouse had “watched our lives change with every youngster.” “We’ve got seen the alternatives develop and we’ve got seen the optimistic influence this has had on our different youngsters. And the additional love coming into the home lights everybody up in a manner that is simple,” he advised Individuals.
Simply over a yr in the past, the actor grew to become emotional whereas speaking about his spouse’s help throughout his battle with most cancers.

“She was superb,” he stated by tears. “She actually taught me what unconditional love is,” he stated on Good Morning America.
Nonetheless, he admitted his prognosis had been ‘very scary’ for his or her youngsters. “A few of them are very outwardly targeted with their fears and discuss it, and for some it manifests itself in different behavioral methods or they develop into very quiet.”
A yr later he additionally stated that he “would not be alive” if it weren’t for his spouse. “She simply stepped up as a caregiver, as a nurse, as head of the family.”
About his household, he additionally stated, “My youngsters, as a lot as I need to shield them from seeing me in any sort of ache or simply stress. I wished to be tremendous dad. You understand that resilience is not only one thing they’ve and might construct, however that it’s what’s greatest for them.”
Do you’ve a narrative?
Should you’ve received a celeb story, video or footage get in contact with the Metro.co.uk leisure staff by emailing [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Submissions web page. We would love to listen to from you.
Arrow
MORE: The Pogues drummer Andrew Ranken dies as band pays tribute to their ‘heartbeat’
Arrow
MORE: Catherine O’Hara’s reason for loss of life revealed after actress dies at 71
Arrow
MORE: The Voice UK star, 36, vowed to ‘preserve combating’ in heartbreaking video days earlier than loss of life
Reply now
Add Metro as a most well-liked supply on Google
