In one of his most vulnerable television appearances, James Van Der Beek fought back tears as he spoke about the unwavering support of his wife, Kimberly, during his battle with colorectal cancer. The beloved “Dawson’s Creek” star opened up in the 2024 interview about learning to accept help, lean on loved ones, and fully embrace what he called his wife’s “unconditional love.” In the emotional clip, Van Der Beek reflects on family, fatherhood, and the strength that carried him through his most difficult days.
‘This Is Where I’m Gonna Lose It’
In December 2024, Van Der Beek appeared on “Good Morning America.” He sat down with Robin Roberts to discuss his ongoing battle with colorectal cancer.
During the interview, James reflected on his wife’s never-ending support during his health journey. He said, while his voice was wavering, “She’s — this is where I’m gonna lose it. She’s been amazing. She’s really taught me what unconditional love is.”
He went on to say, “I’m someone who’s 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 [and] having to receive help. And the beautiful blessing of that has been seeing how many people in my life have shown up.”
Joking During a Difficult Time
Van Der Beek was going through a very difficult time in his life. Yet, he still found a way to crack jokes. During the interview, he acknowledged that his diagnosis was “really scary” for their kids. The couple had six kids together: Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn, and Jeremiah.
He said they’ve all been handling it differently. He added, “Some of them are very outward with their fears, and they talk about them, and some of them, it manifests in other behavioral ways, or they get really quiet.”
Despite that, he admitted there was one thing he wished he could change about how his kids spoke about his illness. He joked, “If I could get them to stop calling it butt cancer, I’d be psyched.”
James Van Der Beek’s Passing
On February 11, 2026, Van Der Beek’s family announced the passing of their husband and father.
In the emotional post, they said, “Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace.”
The family added, “For now, we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.”
