James Van Der Beek renewed wedding vows with wife Kimberly on his deathbed

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Just days before he passed away on February 11th, James Van Der Beek and his wife, Kimberly, reaffirmed their commitment to each other by renewing their wedding vows.

Actor Scott Baio, known for his roles in Dawson’s Creek and Varsity Blues, has died at the age of 48 after a fight with colorectal cancer. He is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and their six children: Olivia (15), Joshua (13), Annabel (12), Emilia (9 and a half), Gwendolyn (7), and Jeremiah (4).

Kimberly revealed to People that she and her partner had a very private wedding ceremony, which they planned and put together quickly—in just a few days—with support from loved ones.

‘We decided two days beforehand, and our friends got us new rings, filled our bedroom with flowers and candles, and we renewed our vows from bed,’ she explained.

She called the moment ‘simple, beautiful, and deeply touching,’ sharing it with close family and friends, and including others through a Zoom connection.

As a lifestyle expert, I always say the right music can make a ceremony. For this couple, their dear friend, the musician Poranguí, played live during the service, and it was truly special. He ended the whole thing with a beautiful version of ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ – it was a really touching moment, and everyone was moved.

Their love story started in Israel in 2009, and a year later, they got married in a private ceremony there as well.

Kimberly was pregnant with their first child, Olivia, which made the day particularly meaningful for the new family.

Sadly, sixteen years after their marriage, Kimberly announced the passing of James on Instagram, sharing a touching message about the much-loved actor.

‘Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning,’ she wrote.

He faced his final days bravely, with strong faith and dignity. We will share more soon about his hopes, his deep care for others, and how much he valued every moment. The time will come to discuss these things.

We are heartbroken and ask for privacy as we mourn the loss of our beloved husband, father, son, brother, and friend.

This news about the vow renewal follows shortly after Alfonso Ribeiro shared a heartfelt story about his last time with his friend, Van Der Beek.

Ribeiro is the godfather to Van Der Beek’s daughter Gwendolyn. 

The actor shared on Instagram that he was with the Dawson’s Creek star just before he passed away.

I was so moved by the photo Ribeiro shared. She said it was taken by Vander Kimberly just moments before she said her final goodbye – it’s incredibly heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time.

He recalled their final moments as joyful, remembering that he’d last seen him laughing. He said, ‘My last memory is making him laugh.’

The news of their passing deeply affected Hollywood, and many of their former co-stars from Dawson’s Creek shared heartfelt messages, including Katie Holmes.

In a handwritten note shared on Instagram, actress Holmes, known for her role as Joey Potter, praised Van Der Beek, describing him as brave, compassionate, selfless, strong, and someone who truly appreciates life.

She said she was deeply saddened by his passing, feeling both the pain of his absence and immense thankfulness for the impact he had on her life.

The actress shared a heartfelt message, saying she was still processing difficult news. She expressed deep gratitude for having known James and spoke fondly of him, noting how much he was loved.

Busy Philipps, known for her role as Audrey Liddell on Dawson’s Creek, shared a tribute on Instagram as well.

She expressed her deep sadness for everyone affected by the loss, recognizing the grief felt by his friends, family, and all those who cared for him.

Philipps expressed deep sorrow for Van Der Beek’s wife, Kimberly, and their six children. She described him as a truly exceptional and irreplaceable person who will be dearly missed.

Honestly, hearing her say how grateful she is for our friendship over the years really touched me. It’s amazing to have that kind of connection with someone, both when we’re working and just as friends in life.

Other stars also reacted to Van Der Beek’s death. 

Reese Witherspoon, who is also a producer on the upcoming Legally Blonde prequel Elle, shared that she was deeply saddened to hear about Van Der Beek’s passing, and he will appear in the film posthumously.

She described him as an incredibly gifted and kind person, noting his grace in everything he did. She also said she was keeping his family in her thoughts and prayers during this challenging period.

Following the family’s announcement on Wednesday, more stars joined in sharing condolences. 

It is with great sadness that we announce the peaceful passing of James David Van Der Beek this morning. He faced his final days with courage, faith, and grace, and had many thoughts to share about living a meaningful life and appreciating every moment.

I know better days will eventually arrive, but right now, we just need space to quietly mourn the loss of our wonderful husband, father, son, brother, and friend. It’s a deeply painful time, and we appreciate everyone respecting our privacy as we grieve.

As a lifestyle observer, I’ve noticed a lot of buzz around this announcement! Several well-known faces – Jennifer Garner, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Lucy Hale, Christie Brinkley, and Rumer Willis, to name a few – have already shown their support by liking the post. It’s always interesting to see which celebrities are paying attention to what’s happening!

A GoFundMe campaign was started on Wednesday to provide financial support to the Van Der Beek family, aiming to raise $500,000.

Kimberly posted on Instagram that her friends made a link to help her and her children through a difficult time, expressing both thankfulness and sadness.

Your donation will help provide for basic needs like housing and bills, and ensure the children can continue their education.

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2026-02-17 22:04