The wife of Dawson’s Creek star James Van Der Beek shared the sad news on Wednesday of her husband’s passing through a GoFundMe. Kimberley Van Der Beek asked fans for donations after the costs of James’ medical care “left the family without funds.”
Van Der Beek was most known for his role as Dawson Leery on the WB teen drama, Dawson’s Creek. The show catapulted him to fame and he quickly became a heartthrob, being named in People magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful in the World.” He quickly found other roles in popular television shows and movies such as Varsity Blues and One Tree Hill.
What happened to James Van der Beek?
James Van Der Beek had been battling stage 3 colorectal cancer and was 48 at the time of his passing. The star was first diagnosed with the deadly disease back in August 2023, he publicly announced his diagnosis back in 2024.
According to the GoFundMe page set up by his family, James fought “a long and courageous battle with cancer” but “passed peacefully” on the morning of February 11th, 2026. According to the Daily Mail, insiders claimed that the actor’s final days largely consisted of “near-constant doctor appointments and painful treatments.” He stopped receiving treatment after it was apparent there was nothing more doctors could do.
What was James Van Der Beek’s net worth?
The cost of Van Der Beek’s medical care has unfortunately left the family in dire straits with “working hard to stay in their home and to ensure the children can continue their education.” Hollywood might pay well but medical bills are a huge financial strain for anybody, he even had to auction off his belongings just to survive. So what was James Van Der Beek’s net worth?
The actor’s net worth was initially estimated to be around $2-3 million according to Primetimer.com, however, this was based on the assumption that Van Der Beek owned his Beverly Hills home, but it was later revealed the family did not. At the time of his passing, James’ net worth was confirmed to be $100,000. The GoFundMe set up by his family has since raised over £1.3 million.
Who is Kimberly Van Der Beek?
Kimberly Van Der Beek married James in 2010. She is a film producer known for Teenage Paparazzo, Home Movie: The Princess Bride, and The Real Full Monty according to IMDb. She and James have six children together with the eldest being born in September 2010 and the youngest being born in October 2021.
On Instagram Kimberly asked fans for “peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.”
