James Van Der Beek lost his battle with colorectal cancer yesterday. He was only 48 years old.
His wife Kimberly issued a statement saying, quote, "He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace. There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time.
"Those days will come. For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend."
Van Der Beek was diagnosed with stage 3 cancer in August of 2023, but didn't announce it until November of 2024.
James was best known as the star of "Dawson's Creek", which ran for six seasons, from 1998 to 2003 on the WB, and spawned the infamous James Van Der Beek crying meme.
He also appeared in the movies "Varsity Blues" and "The Rules of Attraction", and on the ABC sitcom "Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23". And he had a recurring role on the CW drama "One Tree Hill".
He did "Dancing with the Stars" in 2019, and "The Masked Singer" just last year.
Van Der Beek filmed a recurring role on the "Legally Blonde" prequel series "Elle", which premieres in July on Prime Video. The show has been renewed for a second season.
James and Kimberly had SIX children, between the ages of 4 and 15.
The family set up a GoFundMe, because his medical care left them "out of funds". As of last night, it had surpassed $1.1 million.
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