James Van Der Beek’s family shares sweet memories on first birthday since his death: ‘I will love you forever’

James Van Der Beek’s family remembers him on his first birthday since his death
Credit: Kimberly Van Der Beek/Instagram

Key points

• James Van Der Beek was honored by wife Kimberly and 9-year-old Emilia on his first posthumous birthday.

• In a video message, Emilia shared memories of her dad, who died at 48 on Feb. 11.

• “I’m missing you tremendously,” Kimberly wrote in her own March 8 tribute post.

James Van Der Beek’s family is coming together to mark his first posthumous birthday.

Nearly a month after the Dawson’s Creek star’s death at 48, his wife and kids are celebrating his life on what would have marked his 49th birthday. On Sunday, March 8, his wife shared a touching message, starting with a photo of her and her late husband.

Kimberly and James Van Der Beek in a tribute to James on his birthday
Credit: Kimberly Van Der Beek/Instagram

“Would be your 49th birthday today. And I’m missing you tremendously,” Kimberly Van Der Beek captioned a photograph of her and James on Instagram Stories.

The post was followed by a series of additional photographs and videos, featuring James and the six children they shared: daughters Olivia, Annabel, Emilia, and Gwendolyn and sons Joshua and Jeremiah.

“Just a year and a half ago,” Kimberly captioned a video of James on their family ranch. “Doing what he loved. Working this land.”

James Van Der Beek in a family video
Credit: Kimberly Van Der Beek/Instagram

“And his other favorite thing: building things here,” she captioned a second video, which featured James doing construction on their house. Subsequent pictures came from various stages of the couple’s relationship, and often saw him holding or standing alongside their kids.

“You are the light of our lives. Your love. Beauty. Presence. Tenderness. Protection. Safety. Creativity. Singing, ” she continued, over a photo of him and the children. “I’m so grateful for the time.”

Directly addressing James in a later caption, she added, “Baby, you were the best humanity had to offer. This is a loss I don’t know how to process. I will love you forever.”

Hours later, Kimberly uploaded a video featuring the couple’s 9-year old daughter. “Emilia asked me if she could make a video to post today, walked outside and came back with this,” she explained in the caption. “James… We will celebrate March 8th every day for the rest of our lives.”

In the video, Emilia introduces herself to viewers, thanks those who donated to the family’s GoFundMe campaign, and offers advice to those who have also lost loved ones.

Hours later, Kimberly uploaded a video featuring the couple’s 9-year old daughter. “Emilia asked me if she could make a video to post today, walked outside and came back with this,” she explained in the caption. “James… We will celebrate March 8th every day for the rest of our lives.”

“Today is my dad’s birthday and the number one thing for somebody’s passing is to talk to them. And let your emotions out,” she tells the camera. “If you miss them, you can cry. You can talk to them. I talk to my dad everyday and I say, ‘Hi dad, I miss you and I love you so much and I’ll never stop missing you.’ And I just tell him about my day, how I’m feeling.”

She continues, “Something my dad told me was if this doesn’t work out the way he wanted it to and the way we wanted it to, for him [to live], I still have to believe in miracles. Miracles can still happen just later on in life. And they’ll keep coming. But maybe when you want them to come, they might not.”

She added that she is comforted in knowing that “he is not in pain anymore” and “that he was a good man” who was “loved by many, many people.”

James died on Feb. 11, his wife announced in a statement on his social media accounts.

James Van Der Beek on ‘Dawson’s Creek’
Credit: Warner Bros.

“Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning,” her statement said. “He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace. There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. Those days will come. For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.”

A cause of death has not been shared, but Van Der Beek previously opened up about his stage 3 colorectal cancer diagnosis in November 2024 . The actor, who played the titular character on all six seasons of Dawson’s Creek, was diagnosed in August 2023  and had been privately undergoing treatment.

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