Particle.news
Download on the App Store

James Van Der Beek, 'Dawson’s Creek' Star, Dies at 48

A fast-growing GoFundMe now backs his wife and six children after years of costly cancer care.

Overview

  • His family confirmed he died on February 11, and the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office reported the death at 6:44 a.m. with no official cause released.
  • A GoFundMe organized after his passing surpassed $2 million within two days, according to reports, to support Kimberly Van Der Beek and their six children.
  • Van Der Beek had publicly disclosed a colorectal cancer diagnosis detected in 2023 and revealed in 2024, using his platform to encourage early screening.
  • He auctioned Dawson’s Creek memorabilia through Propstore in December 2025 to help pay medical bills, and a resurfaced interview noted he received little in residuals from the series.
  • He is survived by his wife and children, and entertainment outlets report he had been working on an unfinished memoir.