James Van Der Beek died this Wednesday, February 11 at the age of 48, after having been diagnosed with colorectal cancer three years earlier.
The actor, known for his participation in the series Dawson’s Creek, had spoken publicly about his health and the process he was going through since receiving the diagnosis in 2023.
The actor decided to undergo a colonoscopy that year after realizing that something “wasn’t right” in his body.As he explained in an interview with Today, the symptoms he was presenting, including a change in his bowel habits, did not seem particularly alarming.
However, after the procedure and while he was still recovering from anesthesia, his doctor informed him that he had stage 3 colorectal cancer. He also reported that both he and his wife returned home in silence after the medical consultation.
“I was in shock. Part of me wanted to panic. Part of me wanted to just lose control. But another part of my brain was saying, ‘You still don’t know enough,'” he explained.
Van Der Beek shared that from the beginning he decided to face the situation with a certain perspective.During the same interview he stated that, upon hearing the diagnosis, he thought: “This is going to be the best thing that has ever happened to me.”
He added that he felt that the experience would lead him to make changes in his life that he otherwise would not have made and that those changes could add healthy and happy years to his life.
In November 2024, the actor made his diagnosis public in an exclusive interview with People magazine.From then on, he became an active promoter of early detection of colon cancer.
He recalled that anyone over 45 years of age can undergo screening tests, whether through stool analysis, colonoscopy or other methods, even without presenting symptoms.He underwent the study at age 46.
In fact, in November 2025, the artist published on his Instagram account that the iconic t-shirt he wore in the film Varsity Blues was for sale.Elfamous offered two versions: one without a signature for $40 and another autographed for $80.
James Van Der Beek explained that the profits made will go directly to his medical treatment and to help other households facing similar diagnoses.
He also talked about how he approached the situation with his six children, the result of his marriage to Kimberly Van Der Beek.In the interview with Today, he explained that his children sensed that something was not right.
“Children know if you’re not well. They know if you’re sick. They know if you don’t feel well. They know if you’re in pain. So their request, especially from the older ones, was: ‘Just be honest with us. We want to know,'” he said.
The actor commented that initially he wanted to protect them from any signs of pain or stress, but he noted that he understood that resilience was a quality that they could also develop.
In different interviews he highlighted his wife’s role during the process.In December 2025 he stated: “I would not be alive if it were not for my wife. She assumed the role of caregiver, nurse and head of the home.”
During his public appearances, James Van Der Beek explained that living with cancer changed his way of understanding everyday life.He noted that he learned to pay more attention to his diet and what he put into his body.
He also indicated that he began to experience daily moments with greater awareness.In an interview with People in November 2024, he described the diagnosis as a “life reorientation” and expressed that he had a lot to live for with his wife and children.
His last public appearance took place in December 2025, during a television interview given from his home to journalist Craig Melvin of the Today program.
In that conversation, the actor assured that he felt better compared to previous months.
“I feel much, much better than a couple of months ago. It has been a longer road than I ever thought. It has required more patience, more discipline and more strength than I knew I had. I knew I was strong, I didn’t know I was that strong. But I feel good,” he expressed.
