James Van Der Beek Secured Down Payment for Family’s Texas Ranch with Help from Friends Before His Death: Rep

NEED TO KNOW

• James Van Der Beek secured a down payment for his family’s ranch in Austin, Texas, prior to his death

• He did it “with the help of friends through a trust so they could shift from rent to mortgage,” his rep told PEOPLE

• The actor died at age 48 on Feb. 11 following a journey with stage 3 colorectal cancer

Prior to his death, James Van Der Beek secured a down payment for the Texas ranch that he and his family had previously been renting.

His representative tells PEOPLE that before the actor died at age 48 on Feb. 11 following a journey with stage 3 colorectal cancer, the Dawson’s Creek alum secured a down payment on the Austin ranch where he had been residing with his wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, and their six children.

“James secured down payment for the Texas ranch for the family with the help of friends through a trust so they could shift from rent to mortgage,” the rep tells PEOPLE.

In 2020, James and Kimberly permanently left Beverly Hills, Calif., and relocated to Austin with their kids: daughters Olivia, 15, Annabel, 12, Emilia, 9, and Gwendolyn, 7, and sons Joshua, 13, and Jeremiah, 4, the latter of whom was not yet born.

Speaking to PEOPLE in November 2022, the late actor said that living in Texas has been a “centering” experience for him and his family. And “for the kids,” he said, “it’s been grounding, and a different kind of education that we never could have offered them in a classroom.”

Since moving, he explained at the time, the family was able to slow down and connect more with both nature and each other. His kids “jump around,” he said. “They sing, ‘rain, rain come today,’ and they run out in it, because we need it.”

“It’s just connected us, not just to nature, but to the natural life cycles all around us,” added the father of six.

In the wake of James’ death on Feb. 11, friends of the Van Der Beek family organized a GoFundMe page to collect donations after James’ medical care left the family “out of funds.”

The fundraiser, which states it will “help cover essential living expenses, pay bills, and support the children’s education,” received over $2.2 million in the first 48 hours.

“In the wake of this loss, Kimberly and the children are facing an uncertain future,” the GoFundMe description reads. “The costs of James’s medical care and the extended fight against cancer have left the family out of funds. They are working hard to stay in their home and to ensure the children can continue their education and maintain some stability during this incredibly difficult time. The support of friends, family, and the wider community will make a world of difference as they navigate the road ahead.”

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The day after the fundraiser went live, the organizers thanked donors “from the bottom of our hearts for showing up for James and his beautiful family” in an update.

“Your kindness has meant more than we can put into words. In the middle of deep grief, your support has been a light. It reminds us that love is real, that community is strong, and that James’s spirit continues to bring people together,” read the statement posted on the fundraising page.

The statement continued, “Right now, the family is taking time to mourn and be with one another. We kindly ask members of the media and the public to give them space and privacy as they walk through this painful season. Your respect and understanding will give them the room they need to heal.”

In the Feb. 12 update, organizers also asked fans to “continue to keep James’s wife and loved ones in your thoughts and prayers” and thanked them for honoring the actor’s life “with compassion, generosity, and love.”

Read the original article on People