Van Der Beek Family Honors Him on 49th Birthday

On what would have been James Van Der Beek's 49th birthday, his wife Kimberly and their six children honored the late actor's memory through a series of emotional social media posts, sharing previously unseen photos and videos that captured his life as a devoted family man. The tributes, posted on Instagram on March 8, came just one month after Van Der Beek's death on February 11 from colorectal cancer, which he had battled for nearly three years following a stage III diagnosis on August 31, 2023.

Kimberly Van Der Beek, married to the "Dawson's Creek" star since 2010, filled her Instagram Stories with intimate glimpses of their life together on their family ranch. In one post over a photo of the couple, she wrote, "Would be your 49th birthday today. And I'm missing you tremendously." Another video showed Van Der Beek working the land about a year and a half earlier, with the caption, "Just a year and a half ago. Doing what he loved. Working this land." She shared footage of him dancing with their youngest son and taking the children on outdoor adventures, emphasizing his joyful presence. "You are the light of our lives. Your love. Beauty. Presence. Tenderness. Protection....