Kimberly Van – On the first Father’s Day after James Van Der Beek’s death, his widow Kimberly posted photos and wrote that, from the other side, he “continues to parent.” The tribute comes days after she described grief as something she couldn’t fully explain.
For Kimberly Van Der Beek, the day didn’t start like a holiday.
On Father’s Day. June 21. she posted a series of photos on Instagram. marking the first Father’s Day since her husband. James Van Der Beek. died on Feb. 11 at age 48. In the caption. she wrote. “Missing you so much and thinking of how magnificent you were in every single way today. ” adding: “And somehow. from the other side?. You continue to parent. You’re a marvel.”.
James Van Der Beek was a father of six. He died after a prolonged battle with stage 3 colorectal cancer. The disease was diagnosed in August 2023, and he shared details publicly in November 2024. Even while dealing with the illness. he continued working. appearing on the CW’s “Walker” in 2024 and on Amazon Prime Video’s comedy “Overcompensating” in 2025.
Their marriage lasted from August 2010 until his death. and together they welcomed six children over the next decade: eldest daughter Olivia. now 15; son Joshua. now 13; daughter Annabel. 11; daughter Emilia. 10; daughter Gwendolyn. 8; and son Jeremiah. 5. born in 2021. Fatherhood was a central theme throughout their time together, with James frequently sharing pride in being a dad on Instagram.
The post drew support from longtime people in their orbit. Dr. Cass Naumann. a longtime family friend. wrote in the comments: “The only thing that brought him more joy than being a father was being your husband. ” adding that he was “such a role model to my son of what a loving. healthy father looks like.”.
A day that is supposed to celebrate fathers became. in her words. something else: a way to keep a presence in the family. That theme has been building since May 12, when Kimberly wrote about the shock of losing James. “To say I’m heartbroken is a severe understatement. Words just don’t capture what grief is,” she wrote in an Instagram post with multiple family photos. “The comforts of shock have worn off,” she added. “The reality is settling in… and I miss him. We all miss him.”.
A separate Father’s Day tribute also came from the “Dawson’s Creek” world. Mary Margaret Humes. the show’s TV mom and a former co-star of Van Der Beek. posted on Instagram the day before Father’s Day. on Saturday. She captioned a throwback “Dawson Creek” photo featuring Humes as Gale Leery. Van Der Beek as son Dawson Leary. and John Wesley Shipp as Mitch Leery. the show patriarch and Dawson’s father. Humes wrote: “Wishing all of the amazing dads throughout this vast universe a Happy Father’s Day weekend. ” followed by: “A shout out to simpler times. ” and “My advice?. Give big, meaningful hugs and tell them you love them while you still have the chance.”.
The timeline around Father’s Day reflects a family trying to hold on to what mattered most—James as a father—even as the loss remains immediate. Kimberly’s June 21 caption didn’t just look back at his life; it described him as still parenting. even “from the other side. ” in language that made the grief feel both private and public at once.
James Van Der Beek Kimberly Van Der Beek Father’s Day Instagram tribute Dawson’s Creek stage 3 colorectal cancer Mary Margaret Humes