James Van Der Beek’s Dawson’s Creek co-star Katie Holmes shares memories of her ‘adventures of a unique youth’ with her ‘beloved hero’ as she vows to ‘always be there’ for his wife Kimberly and their six children

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Katie Holmes recently posted a heartfelt message remembering her former Dawson’s Creek colleague, James Van Der Beek, who passed away on Wednesday at the age of 48.

James’ wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, announced that he died after a two-year fight with colorectal cancer.

Katie played Joey Potter in the popular teen drama, and her complicated romantic relationship with Dawson, played by James, was a main focus throughout the show’s five seasons.

On Thursday morning, she shared a heartfelt handwritten note on Instagram, fondly remembering the special and memorable experiences she and the other person shared growing up.

With a sad heart, I’m still trying to take everything in. I feel so lucky to have known James and been a part of his life. He was a wonderful person,” the actress shared. She also promised to support his wife and their six children, who are facing financial hardship while he battles cancer.

Katie wrote in her note, ‘James, thank you. It feels special to share a creative space with you—to both imagine freely and feel safe expressing ourselves.’

She fondly remembered her time working with James on Dawson’s Creek, recalling moments filled with laughter, deep conversations, and a shared love of James Taylor music – all part of a special and unforgettable time in their lives.

Courage, kindness, putting others first, and inner strength – these qualities, combined with a deep love of life, define a meaningful existence. Living with honesty and purpose – like building a strong family and raising children – is a heroic journey.

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.

Kimberly and kids, we’ll always be here for you, sending our love and support.

James Van Der Beek’s wife announced his passing on Instagram Wednesday. She shared that he died peacefully and faced his final days with courage, faith, and grace.

We have many fond memories and stories to share about his kindness, his deep care for others, and how much he valued every moment. We’ll share those when we’re ready. Right now, we kindly ask for privacy and peace as we mourn the loss of our beloved husband, father, son, brother, and friend.

James and Kimberly are parents to six children: Olivia, who is 15, Joshua, 13, Annabel, 12, Emilia, 9, Gwendolyn, 7, and Jeremiah, 4.

A GoFundMe campaign has been started to help the actor’s family financially.

I’m absolutely heartbroken. His family just announced that he’s gone. Apparently, he passed away on February 11th after fighting cancer for so long. They said he was so brave throughout it all, but… it’s just devastating. I can’t believe he’s really gone.

The family struggled emotionally and financially while James was sick, doing everything they could to care for him.

Last September, Katie joined her former Dawson’s Creek co-stars, Michelle Williams and Joshua Jackson, for a charity event. They came together to raise money for James’ medical care and support the organization F Cancer.

James had to cancel his appearance at the charity event at the last minute because he wasn’t feeling well.

The actor announced in November 2024 that he had been diagnosed with stage three colorectal cancer, disclosing that he first received the diagnosis a year earlier.

Let me tell you, sharing personal news is never easy, and there’s really no right way to do it. I was actually planning to open up about this in an upcoming interview with People magazine. My goal was to share my story directly with you all, on my own terms, and hopefully raise some awareness along the way. It’s important to me to control the narrative when it comes to things this personal.

I had to change my plans early this morning after learning a tabloid was about to publish the story.

I’ve been quietly working on my health and well-being, focusing on treatment and making positive changes. I’m doing well now and feeling strong. It’s been a challenging experience, and I’ll share more details when I feel comfortable.

I apologize to everyone I intended to share this news with personally. Things haven’t gone as planned or as quickly as I’d hoped, but we’re adapting and seeing these unexpected turns as guidance towards something even better. My family and I are incredibly grateful for all your love and support.

Van Der Beek later shared with People that he was coping with his health issues thanks to the support of his wonderful family.

He’s significantly slowed his pace over the last two years, focusing on rest and personal well-being. As he explained in an interview on Today, he’s embracing the journey and allowing himself time to recover. He described it as an ongoing process that will likely continue throughout his life.

The star has often updated fans on social media about his cancer journey.

He shared that he’s been feeling gradually better each month. Losing weight has challenged him, requiring greater patience, discipline, and inner strength than he initially realized. While he knew he was strong, he discovered a new level of resilience throughout the process.

He last posted on Instagram on January 25th, appearing fit and well while celebrating his daughter and father’s birthdays.

In 2020, the actor and his family left Los Angeles for a more relaxed lifestyle and moved to a ranch in Austin, Texas.

John Van Der Beek became famous in the 1990s, at age 20, for his role as Dawson Leery on the TV show Dawson’s Creek.

The show aired on the WB Network for six seasons, from 1998 to 2003, and helped make Katie Holmes, Michelle Williams, and Joshua Jackson stars.

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2026-02-12 11:41