James Van Der Beek died this Wednesday, less than three years after being diagnosed with colorectal cancer. He was 48 years old.
The actor of the series Dawson’s Creek He made his health diagnosis public in late 2024. A year later, he said he was feeling good when he appeared on in December 2025 and described himself at the time as “really lucky in an unfortunate diagnosis.”
He said he was still receiving cancer treatment, “trying a lot of things,” although he declined to give details about the therapies he had undergone.
His wife announced his death this Wednesday, February 11.
“Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed away peacefully this morning,” said a statement posted on his Instagram account.
“He faced his last days with courage, faith and dignity. “There is much to share about his desires, his love for humanity and the sacredness of time,” he added.
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In September 2025, fans became concerned when Van Der Beek did not attend the meeting of Dawson’s Creekand appeared only in one video.
However, the actor stated that his absence was not related to cancer and that he had to miss the event after suffering “some stomach problems”, which also caused him to lose weight.
Symptoms of James Van Der Beek
Van Der Beek was 46 years old when he underwent a colonoscopy that led to his diagnosis in 2023. He had requested the test after experiencing symptoms that included a change in his bowel habits and the feeling that something was wrong in his body.
But the warning signs were not dramatic, he recalled. At first he thought they were caused by coffee consumption, but the irregularities persisted.
“I had stage 3 cancer and I had no idea”Van Der Beek told in December 2025. “If anyone draws any conclusion from this interview, let it be to get tested and talk to their doctor.”
People at average risk should start testing at age 45, the American Cancer Society advises, and those at high risk should start earlier.
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Colorectal cancer rates in people under age 55, like Van Der Beek, have increased 1% to 2% annually since the mid-1990s, according to the American Cancer Society.
“I had always associated cancer with age and sedentary, unhealthy lifestyles,” Van Der Beek told People magazine. “But I was in incredible cardiovascular shape. I tried to eat healthy, or so I thought at the time.”
The treatment of James Van Der Beek
According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer can be treated with a regimen of medications, surgery, and chemotherapy. The actor did not specify what treatments he had undergone.
He thanked his wife, Kimberly, for helping him move forward, calling her “a true saint.”
The couple had been honest about their diagnosis with their six children, who range in age from 4 to 15.
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Van Der Beek revealed that sometimes he felt afraid, but he tried to breathe to overcome it.
“In moments of intimacy, without a doubt, I break down, I get scared and I feel weak. But that’s all part of the process,” she said.
“The most difficult thing has been the patience it has required“.
Even so, the actor described cancer as the best thing that had happened to him, because it forced him to change his lifestyle and appreciate every moment. “I think presence is really the gift that cancer has given me,” she said.
I had many I want to work as an actor again.
Symptoms of colorectal cancer include rectal bleeding, iron deficiency anemia, abdominal pain, narrow stools, and unexplained weight loss.
