James Van Der Beek described his colorectal cancer diagnosis as the “best event” that ever happened to him as it allowed him to change his perspective on life.
The actor, known for his role as Dawson Leery in the series Dawson’s Creek, spoke about his experience in an interview with Craig Melvin for the Today program in December 2025, just two months before his death at the age of 48.
The actor recalled that, when he received the news of his illness in August 2023, he heard “a small voice in his head” telling him that this moment would force him to make significant changes that he would not have otherwise considered.
The artist explained that the disease allowed him to review aspects of his daily life, such as diet and personal habits.As he indicated, the experience led him to a process that he described as a “journey of self-love.”
“You’re going to make changes in your life that you would never make if you didn’t have this extreme diagnosis, and that’s going to add up to years of healthy, happy life. I don’t think before cancer I knew what it was like to slow down. I didn’t know what it was like to really look at everything I eat, everything I put in my body,” he said.
James Van Der Beek also mentioned that, before his diagnosis, he tended to perceive the small moments in life as part of a collective whole, without stopping to value them individually.
“Now I can nod more fully in that exact moment. Presence is truly the gift that cancer has given me,” she said.
Regarding his physical and emotional state during the last few months, the actor stated that he felt “strong”, “good” and “better than a couple of months ago”.He even acknowledged that the illness demanded more from him than he expected, both in patience and in discipline and strength.
“It has been a longer road than I ever thought. It has required more of me: more patience, more discipline, more strength than I knew I had,” he said.
Van Der Beek’s testimony coincided with recent messages from his wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, who in November 2025 posted on Instagram that her husband was “on the mend” and showing improvements.
By January 2026, James anticipated a winter dedicated to rest and recovery, while planning to set new goals for the spring.
The actor died on February 11, 2026. Kimberly Van Der Beek confirmed the news in a message shared on Instagram: “Our beloved James David VanDer Beek passed away peacefully this morning. He faced his last days with courage, faith and serenity,” she wrote.
She added that information about the wishes of the father of her six children will be shared in the future.For now, the family requested privacy as they grieve.
James Van Der Beek is survived by his wife and six children: Olivia, 14 years old;Joshua, 13;Annabel, 12;Emilia, 8;Gwendolyn, 6;and Jeremiah, 3.
The couple had raised their family for more than a decade, and much of Van Der Beek’s life was dedicated to balancing her career with raising her children.
