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James Van Der Beek was honored by wife Kimberly on his first posthumous Father’s Day.
“You’re a marvel,” Kimberly Van Der Beek wrote of her late husband, with whom she shares six children.
Van Der Beek died in February following a battle with colorectal cancer.
James Van Der Beek‘s widow is thinking of her late husband on the first Father’s Day since his tragic death.
Four months after the Dawson’s Creek alum died at 48 following a battle with colorectal cancer, wife Kimberly Van Derk Beek wasn’t about to let Sunday’s holiday go by without singing his praises.
“Missing you so much and thinking of how magnificent you were in every single way today,” she wrote in a touching tribute post. “And somehow, from the other side? You continue to parent. You’re a marvel.”
Shared on Instagram, the post included a carousel of photos featuring James with each of the couple’s six children — Olivia, 15; Joshua, 14; Annabel, 12; Emilia, 10; Gwendolyn, 8; and Jeremiah, 4.
James Van Der Beek and his kids
Credit: Kimberly Van Der Beek/Instagram
Across over a dozen photos, James is seen hoisting his daughter up on his shoulders, enjoying the family ranch with his son, embracing his young kids, and smiling alongside his wife.
Fans and friends voiced love for the late actor in the comments section, including his Dawson’s Creek mother, Mary-Margaret Humes, who wrote, “He is ‘one in a million’ … always has been … always will be. Sending ((hugs)) from the west coast this morning.”
Over on her own Instagram page, Humes penned an additional tribute to Van Der Beek to celebrate the holiday.
“Wishing all of the amazing dads throughout this vast universe a Happy Father’s Day weekend,” she wrote. “My advice? Give big meaningful hugs and tell them you love them while you still have the chance.”
Alongside her tribute, she shared a throwback photo of Humes, Van Der Beek and his onscreen dad, John Wesley Shipp, writing, “A shout out to simpler times.”
James and Kimberly Van Der Beek with their children
Credit: James Van Der Beek/Instagram
Van Der Beek was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2023 but didn’t go public with the health news until November 2024. He spent his final years raising awareness for cancer prevention.
Kimberly announced James’ death on February 11. Days before the actor died, he and his wife of 15 years renewed their wedding vows in an intimate ceremony. Their six kids were in attendance, along with a few close friends. The “beautiful” ceremony ended with “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”
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In the months since James’ death, Kimberly has been candid about her grief and how the Van Der Beek family is working to keep his memory alive. Earlier this month, she opened up about the loss, writing, “To say I’m heartbroken is a severe understatement. Words just don’t capture what grief is. The comforts of shock have worn off. The reality is settling in… and I miss him. We all miss him.”
She continued, “Yet, there is a different kind of magic in the air. I feel him. I know him more deeply. My conscious connection to God has deepened. The veils of the universe have thinned. And I trust that this is the path me and my family have always been intended to walk.”
She additionally thanked followers for the “outpouring of support” that the family received in the aftermath of their loss.
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