James Van Der Beek'swifeKimberly Van Der Beek helped keep him going.
The Dawson's Creek star died on Feb. 11, 2026, after battling colorectal cancer for more than two years.
On their 15th (and what would sadly be their last) anniversary in August 2025, James called Kimberly "the most extraordinary human" he ever met in a heartfelt Instagram post, adding, "One day I’ll tell the story of what you’ve endured these last two years and how you’ve shown up, time and time and time again. You have not only saved my life… you’ve shown me what it is to live. There are no words for how much I love and appreciate you. I could not do this without you."
Kimberly honored James when she announced his passing, writing, "Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. 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."
Get to know James Van Der Beek's widow and get a peek into their sweet (but all too short) love story.
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Who is James Van Der Beek's wife?
Kimberly and James Van Der Beek in February 2011Photo by Gregg DeGuire on Getty Images
James Van Der Beek was married to Kimberly Van Der Beek. They tied the knot in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Aug. 1, 2010, close to where they met (more on that in a minute!)
Kimberly has said she has "psychic dreams," and apparently James may literally have been her dream man: On their 13th anniversary, James took to Instagram to recount their whirlwind wedding, which was roughly a year after they first met.
"13 years ago today we were told that the guy who had come to you in a dream and had given you a wedding date could marry us - that night - in the basement of the Kabbalah Centre in Tel Aviv… on what happened to be the exact date he’d given you in the dream," he wrote. "We rushed to get ready, had a bunch of people we didn’t know (and a few we did) dance around us, got ambushed by Israeli paparazzi afterwards, then ate at an outdoor Lebanese dive with plastic tablecloths and chairs and amazing food… and we were off."
During their time together, the pair welcomed Olivia, 15, Annabel, 12, Emilia, 9½, and Gwendolyn, 7, and sons Joshua, 13, and Jeremiah, 4.
View this post on InstagramRelated: James Van Der Beek’s Wife Kimberly Last Shared Photo With Him Posted Days Before Christmas
How did James Van Der Beek meet his wife?
James met Kimberly in 2009 when he was on a trip to Israel. While chatting with a friend in Tel Aviv about realizing he wanted to find a partner and start a family, Kimberly interrupted their conversation to ask his friend a question.
"I was annoyed. Who the hell was stepping all over my moment? I turned around... it was @vanderkimberly," he recalled on an Instagram post for their 10th anniversary. "Three days later, I asked her what she was looking for in a relationship. Her answer: 'I’m not looking for a relationship.' Six months later we were living together. Two weeks after that we were pregnant, and almost exactly one year to the date after she’d first interrupted me (on the spot where we’re standing in the last pic)... we were married."
View this post on InstagramRelated: James Van Der Beek Will Have One Final Role After His Death
Before marrying the Varsity Blues star, Kimberly Van Der Beek was credited as an associate producer for the film Teenage Paparazzo. Entourage star Adrian Grenier directed the documentary, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2010.
From 2023 to 2024, she co-hosted The Bathroom Chronicles podcast.
Since then, Kimberly has largely focused on homeschooling her and James' six kids, as well as on being an influencer, and many find her content often considered controversial.
Rolling Stone reported that on her Instagram account at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, Kimberly often shared (then deleted) COVID-19conspiracy theories and COVID misinformation (including alleging that rapper DMX died from getting the COVID vaccine, which is patently false). She also was criticized for posting general anti-vaccine content and other health misinformation, including videos endorsing essential oils to cure ear infections and sharing posts that denounced antibiotics.
Following James' death, Kimberly and their six children were out of funds due to medical bills. A friend established a GoFundMe to help support the family as they both grieve the loss of their patriarch and learn to navigate their new normal.
Related: James Van Der Beek’s Net Worth at the Time of His Death
How many miscarriages did Kimberly Van Der Beek have?
Kimberly has been open about having had five miscarriages, including two back-to-back, both at 17 ½ weeks.
“It’s so hard, but it’s important to talk about,” Kimberly told PEOPLE. “We wait so long to tell people that we are pregnant so the possibility of miscarriage has decreased. But in the meantime, you’re tired, you need help and you’re going through one of the wildest times of your life.”
James said of witnessing Kimberly go through the physical pain of their pregnancy losses, "There's a lot of shock, absolute dread, disbelief and then helplessness accompanied by fear. But you go through it and you take it breath by breath. You have to let it unfold at a pace that works for you."
Kimberly said that her grief from her pregnancy losses "comes in waves," explaining, "You can have in one moment complete and utter joy, and in another moment grief wants to wash over you. It can rear its head unexpectedly. And it does."
Despite eschewing most commonly accepted western medicine and science, when she had her two late-term miscarriages, she was hospitalized and underwent blood transfusions to save her life. After the experience, she and James released a video for the Red Cross encouraging blood donation.
"It's one of those donations that is most direct," James urged. "It doesn't cost any money and it's literally lifesaving. It's an amazing way to help out humanity in general."
Related: 30 Inspiring James Van Der Beek Quotes That Will Make You Contemplate Life and Love
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