James Van Der Beek’s story was always bigger than Hollywood. Today, as his family, fans, and loved ones mourn his passing after brave battle with colorectal cancer, he is being remembered not only for his career, but for his greatest legacy: the family he loved so fiercely.
The “Dawson’s Creek” alum often made it clear that his most meaningful role was not Dawson Leery, but husband and father.
In heartfelt social media tributes and rare, heartwarming captions, Van Der Beek offered glimpses of the life he built with his wife, Kimberly, and their six children: Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn, and Jeremiah. For him, home was the real spotlight.
Below is a look at the family moments that meant the most to him.
James Van Der Beek and Kimberly: A Marriage Built on Love and Strength
GettyVan Der Beek often spoke of Kimberly as the foundation of their family. As a parent to six children, he credited her with holding everything together and leading with quiet strength.
“I am in awe of you: As a mother, a friend, a medicine woman, a healer, a conscious, caring superhuman on this planet,” James, who died after a yearslong cancer battle in February 2026, captioned the March 2024 Instagram post. “And as a wife? I would not be half the man I am without you.”
As he faced his illness, his gratitude only deepened. “I’d like to say I chose my Valentine wisely,” the “Dawson’s Creek” star wrote on the February 2025 Instagram post.
“But I didn’t have any choice – I was a goner from the moment you interrupted me mid-sentence, telling a friend I was ready to meet the real deal.”
See more photos of the couple over the years.
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GettyIn his final years, their partnership was not just part of his story; it was his story. It was at the center of it.
A Father First: The Bond With Olivia and Joshua
As a father, Van Der Beek often shared how his children meant the world to him. His bond with his eldest daughter, Olivia, held a special place in his heart.
“You expanded my heart and my soul’s capacity the second you came out in ways I could’ve never imagined,” he captioned the September 2023 social media post. “You taught me what love was in an instant. And you’ve led the way ever since.”
When Joshua turned 13, Van Der Beek reflected on how much his son had shaped him as well.
“No one has taught me more about the kind of man I want to be more than you,” he wrote on the March 2025 Instagram post. “Your questions are my guideposts. Your opinions my mirror. And your sense of humor fills me with endless delight.”
To him, fatherhood was never just a role. It was a constant invitation to grow, listen, and become better every day.
Celebrating Strength and Spirit: Emilia and Annabel
He spoke about Emilia with a mix of humor and deep respect.
“I consider all my children my teachers, but you I’ve always considered an authority,” he wrote in the March 2025 Instagram post. “ Whether you’re ushering us all out the door on time, helping put your little brother to bed, or telling me where you think I went wrong… when you speak, I listen.”
In one of his final public tributes, he turned his attention to Annabel, celebrating her quiet strength.
As he shared in the January 2026 Instagram post, “In this crazy world, it’s a wonder to me that you’ve managed to stay so open, so tender, and so genuinely good.”
His words carried more than pride. They reflected a father genuinely moved by the character and compassion he saw growing in his daughters.
A “Rainbow Baby” and a Little Light: Jeremiah and Gwendolyn
Jeremiah, born in 2021 after two late-term pregnancy losses, held special meaning for the couple.
“An iron will combined with an innate sweetness,” James wrote in the October 2025 social media post. “And ALL boy. And as you run around and scream and bang things… all I can think about is how grateful I am that you came to us.”
For Gwendolyn’s seventh birthday, he celebrated her joyful spirit.
“Before you dropped into this life, you filled your cart to the max with sweetness, sass…,” he captioned the June 2025 Instagram post, “and I think you just might be a low-key genius. You can bring a roomful of adults to genuine, uproarious laughter, and witnessing you care for and nurture younger kids is enough to restore anyone’s faith in humanity.”
In every tribute, Van Der Beek returned to the same theme: gratitude. Here are more rarely-seen-before photos and videos of the family.
In the wake of his passing, those photos and words carry even more weight.
Beyond the roles in “Dawson’s Creek,” “Varsity Blues,” and beyond, James Van Der Beek leaves behind something far greater. A marriage built on devotion. Six children raised in love. And a legacy defined by family first.
