James Van Der Beek's Wife Kimberly Shares Emotional Statement About His Final Days
- - James Van Der Beek's Wife Kimberly Shares Emotional Statement About His Final Days
Julia MooreFebruary 12, 2026 at 1:45 AM
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James Van Der Beek and Kimberly Van Der Beek in 2019
Michael Kovac/Getty
James Van Der Beek died on Wednesday, Feb. 11, after being diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2023
His wife, Kimberly, shared the news of his death in an Instagram post and said he "passed away peacefully"
Kimberly, who shares six kids with the actor, also wrote in the post how her husband had spent his final days
James Van Der Beek's wife is sharing how the late actor spent his final days.
On Wednesday, Feb. 11, Kimberly Van Der Beek announced in an Instagram post that James had "passed peacefully this morning" at age 48.
"He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace," Kimberly, who shares six kids with James, wrote.
She asked for "peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend," as she promised that there is "much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time."
Kimberly also shared a link to a GoFundMe for her family to her Instagram Stories on Wednesday. The GoFundMe, started by a friend of the family, notes that Kimberly "and the children are facing an uncertain future."
"The costs of James’s medical care and the extended fight against cancer have left the family out of funds," the GoFundMe says. "They are working hard to stay in their home and to ensure the children can continue their education and maintain some stability during this incredibly difficult time. The support of friends, family, and the wider community will make a world of difference as they navigate the road ahead."
Any donations will cover "essential living expenses, pay bills, and support the children’s education. Every donation, no matter the size, will help Kimberly and her family find hope and security as they rebuild their lives."
James Van Der Beek in December 2024
Chris Haston/WBTV via Getty
James was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2023, and shared that diagnosis with PEOPLE in November 2024. "I have colorectal cancer. I’ve been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family," he said at the time. “There’s reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good."
In an interview with Robin Roberts on Good Morning America shortly after he shared the news, James was emotional as he reflected on how vital his wife's support was.
“She’s been amazing. She’s really taught me what unconditional love is," he said. “I’m someone who has always in the past tried to do everything for everybody and never asked for help myself, and this has put me in a position of having to ask for help but having to receive help, and the beautiful blessing of that has been seeing how many people in my life have shown up.”
In a December 2025 interview with Today's Craig Melvin, James said he felt "much, much better than I did a couple months ago," as he reflected on his health journey. "It's been a longer journey than I ever thought it would be. It's required more of me — more patience, more discipline, more strength than I knew I had. I knew I was strong — I didn't know I was this strong. But I feel good."
"I really don't think I knew what to do," he told Melvin of his reaction after he was diagnosed following a colonoscopy. "Neither did my wife. And we drove home in silence. And part of me wanted to panic. Part of me wanted to just freak out. But then another part of my brain was like, ‘You don't know enough yet.' "
James Van Der Beek poses for a photo with his family.
James Van Der Beek/Instagram
He admittedly "went into shock" after receiving the diagnosis, but then his mindset shifted. "One of the things I was really lucky about was when I heard the news, I was like, ‘This is gonna be the best thing that’s ever happened to me.’ I had this little voice in my head that said, ‘You’re gonna make changes in your life that you would never, ever make if you didn’t have this extreme of a diagnosis, and it’s gonna add healthy, happy years to your life.' "
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The Dawson's Creek star had been open about the "many ups and downs" throughout his journey, as he said on Today in July 2025, "Cancer is — I call it a full-time job."
“I’m just on the journey,” he said. “It’s a process. It’ll probably be a process for the rest of my life.” James said, too, that he was finding “the beauty of just taking things a little bit more slowly and prioritizing rest and really allowing that to be the job.”
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
