Two months before his death, James Van Der Beek sat down with Craig Melvin on “Today” and spoke candidly about his fight with stage 3 colorectal cancer.
The “Dawson’s Creek” actor died at 48 on February 11, three years after his diagnosis. The news of his passing was shared by his loving and brave wife, Kimberly Vander.
Just a few weeks before his death, during the December interview, filmed from his home, Van Der Beek reflected on how deeply the illness had changed him.
James Van Der Beek Says He Felt ‘Much, Much Better’ During Final Cancer Update
“I feel much, much better than I did a couple months ago,” he said at the time. “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.”
His words were steady. His tone was honest. He spoke not only about survival but also about growth.
The Moment He Learned He Had Stage 3 Colorectal Cancer
The former “DWTS” star shared that in 2023, he scheduled a colonoscopy after sensing something felt “off,” even though his symptoms did not initially alarm him.
He recalled that he was still coming out of anesthesia when his doctor delivered the diagnosis.
“I went into shock,” he admitted to Melvin.
Later, he said, “I really don’t think I knew what to do. 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.’ “
From that moment on, he adopted a mindset that surprised even him.
“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,’ ” he revealed during the “Today” interview. “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.’ “
How He Spoke to His Children About His Diagnosis
Van Der Beek first shared his cancer diagnosis publicly in November 2024 during a cover interview with People.
He later became an advocate for early colon cancer screening, reminding viewers that anyone over 45 can be screened through stool testing, colonoscopy, or other approved methods.
In his “Today” conversation, he also opened up about talking to his six children with his wife, Kimberly.
“Kids know if you’re not right. They know if you’re sick. They know you’re not feeling well. They know if you’re in pain,” he told “Today.” “So their request to me, especially the older ones, is, ‘Just be honest with us. We want to know.’ “
He continued, “As much as I want to shield them from seeing me in any kind of pain or stress, I wanted to be Superman, Super Dad. You realize that resilience is not only something that they have and can build, but it’s the best thing for them.”
His words revealed a father determined to lead with honesty, even in the face of fear.
‘Presence Is Really the Gift That Cancer’s Given Me’
Van Der Beek made it clear that he did not walk through his cancer journey alone. He repeatedly pointed to Kimberly as his anchor during the most difficult days of treatment.
“I would not be alive if it weren’t for my wife,” he said in the same “Today” interview. “She just has stepped up as a caretaker, as a nurse, as head of the household.”
The diagnosis also changed the way he moved through everyday life. He admitted he once rushed through moments that now feel sacred.
“I don’t think I knew what it was to slow down before. I don’t think I knew what it was to really look at everything I eat, everything I put in my body.”
“I think before cancer, I took all these little, beautiful moments as part of a collective,” he added. “I was just aware of everything. And now I’m able, much more, to just settle into that exact moment. So presence is really the gift that cancer’s given me.”
GettyFor Van Der Beek, the illness became more than a fight. It became a shift in perspective. Amid uncertainty, he chose awareness. In the face of fear, he leaned into gratitude.
