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Dawson’s Creek Star James Van Der Beek Has Died
James Van Der Beek has tragically died at the age of 48 years old.
The American actor was best known for his portrayal of Dawson Leery in Dawson’s Creek, and for playing a fictionalized version of himself on the cult ABC sitcom Don’t Trust the B**** In Apartment 23.
His film credits also include Varsity Blues, The Rules of Attraction, and Labor Day.
Van Der Beek’s wife, Kimberly, issued an announcement confirming his passing shortly after the news broke.
An emotional Instagram statement read: “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.”
The actor spoke to People magazine in 2024, revealing he was battling stage three colorectal cancer, also known as bowel cancer.
He told the outlet that despite his difficult diagnosis, he was feeling optimistic.
James Van Der Beek’s cancer battle
When the actor confirmed his diagnosis to People magazine, he also revealed that he had been ‘privately dealing’ with the disease for some time.
Van Der Beek said: “I have colorectal cancer. I’ve been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family.”
Throughout his battle, the actor provided his fans with updates – admitting living with cancer was like a ‘full-time job’ and describing it as a ‘process.’
“It’ll probably be a process for the rest of my life,” he tragically remarked.
Van Der Beek also spoke of receiving his diagnosis and how he initially felt.
“I thought I was way ahead of the game,” he said. “I ate as well as I could. I was healthy. I was in amazing cardiovascular shape.
“There was no reason in my mind that I should have gotten a positive diagnosis.”
Van Der Beek sells ‘treasures’ to pay for cancer treatment
To help fund his cancer treatment, Van Der Beek decided to sell several cherished items he had held onto from his acting career.
In an Instagram post, he said: “I’ve been storing these treasures for years, waiting for the right time to do something with them, and with all of the recent unexpected twists and turns life has presented recently, it’s clear that the time is now.”
The actor added that while he did feel nostalgic towards some of these items, it felt like the right decision.
The collection included an outfit he wore in Dawson’s Creek and a hat featured in the 1999 movie Varsity Blues, per The Guardian.
‘The best thing that ever happened to me’
Two months before Van Der Beek’s passing, the actor made his final appearance in a televised interview from his home for Today.
During the interview, he moved fans to tears by revealing that the battle was the ‘best thing that ever happened’ to him.
“One of the things I was really lucky about was when I heard the news, I was like, ‘This is gonna be the best thing that’s ever happened to me,'” he explained.
“I had this little voice in my head that said, ‘You’re gonna make changes in your life that you would never, ever make if you didn’t have this extreme of a diagnosis, and it’s gonna add healthy, happy years to your life.'”
Van Der Beek also discussed how his cancer battle had affected family life, revealing that he has been very open with his and Kimberly’s six children.
“Kids know if you’re not right. They know if you’re sick. They know you’re not feeling well. They know if you’re in pain,” he said. “So their request to me, especially the older ones, is, ‘Just be honest with us. We want to know.'”
He added: “As much as I want to shield them from seeing me in any kind of pain or stress, I wanted to be Superman, Super Dad. You realize that resilience is not only something that they have and can build, but it’s the best thing for them.”
Van Der Beek’s passing
The actor passed away on Wednesday (February 11) in the morning, according to his wife’s statement.
TMZ reports that Van Der Beek’s death was reported to the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office at 6:44 a.m., and that no cause of death was given.
Van Der Beek is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and their daughters, Olivia, Annabel, Emilia, and Gwendolyn, and sons Joshua and Jeremiah.
What is bowel cancer?
Bowel cancer is a cancer that develops in the large bowel, which includes the colon and rectum.
The large bowel is part of your digestive system. It absorbs water from food and helps your body get rid of waste.
It’s the third most common cancer worldwide, according to the World Health Organization, and approximately accounts for 10% of all cancer cases.
How serious it is can depend on:
- How big the tumor is
- Whether it has spread
- Your overall health
What are the symptoms of bowel cancer?
In an interview with Business Insider, Van Der Beek said he first noticed changes in his bowel movements – a common symptom of bowel cancer.
He tried cutting out coffee to see if it would help. When symptoms continued, he had a screening test.
That test revealed he had stage three bowel cancer, meaning the disease had spread to nearby lymph nodes.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, bowel cancer (also known as colorectal cancer) usually starts as growths on the inner lining of the colon and can spread if left untreated.
The clinic says more men are diagnosed than women, but increased screening has helped detect the disease earlier, reducing death rates.
Common symptoms of bowel cancer can include:
- Changes in your poo, such as diarrhoea, constipation, or softer poo than usual
- Needing to poo more or less often than normal for you
- Blood in your poo, which may look red or very dark
- Bleeding from your bottom
- Feeling like you still need to poo even after going to the toilet
- Tummy pain
- A lump in your tummy
- Bloating
- Unexplained weight loss
- Feeling very tired or short of breath (which can be signs of anaemia caused by bowel cancer)
When to see a doctor
Many of these symptoms are common and can be caused by other conditions. Having symptoms does not automatically mean you have bowel cancer, but doctors say it’s important to get checked if symptoms don’t go away.
If symptoms last for three weeks or more, you should speak to a family doctor.
Finding bowel cancer early can make it easier to treat. Doctors and nurses are used to talking about these symptoms, so there’s no need to feel embarrassed about asking for help.
Related Article: James Van Der Beek Shared Haunting Final Post Before His Death
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