JAMES Van Der Beek and his wife Kimberly renewed their wedding vows on his deathbed, just days before he passed away.
The iconic Dawson’s Creek actor, 48, sadly died last week after a cancer battle, leaving his friends, family and fans devastated.
Along with his wife, Kimberly, James is survived by their six children Olivia, 14, Joshua, 12, Annabel, 10, Emilia, 8, Gwen, 6, and Jeremiah, 3.
Now his heartbroken wife has revealed how the couple renewed their vows shortly before he died.
Kimberly revealed they managed to quickly put together a small ceremony with the help of close friends and family.
Speaking to People, she said: “We decided two days beforehand, and our friends got us new rings, filled our bedroom with flowers and candles, and we renewed our vows from bed.”
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Kimberly described the ceremony as “simple and beautiful and moving”.
In a sweet moment, musician Poranguí, a close friend of the couple, played Somewhere Over the Rainbow.
James and Kimberly met in 2009 and immediately fell in love.
Following a whirlwind romance they got married the next year, while they were expecting their first child.
Sadly, 16 years after their wedding, James had passed away.
Fans were left in shock when it was revealed by Kimberly and the actor’s family, that he had died after battling cancer.
The heartbreaking 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 had been battling stage three colorectal cancer since 2024.
James spent the final years of his life advocating for early screenings to help spread awareness.
The actor got his start in small television roles on Clarissa Explains It All in 1993, As The World Turns in 1995 and Aliens in the Family in 1996.
He then scored the breakout role of Dawson Leery on Dawson’s Creek from 1998 to 2003 alongside Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson and Michelle Williams.
After finding success with the teenage drama, he went on to star in Varsity Blues in 1999, Scary Movie in 2000 and The Rules of Attraction in 2002.
He then had appearances on TV shows Criminal Minds in 2007, Ugly Betty in 2007, One Tree Hill in 2008, and Law and Order in 2011 and 2012.
Other appearances include How I Met Your Mother, CSI and Modern Family.
One of his final roles was on two episodes of Overcompensating in 2025.
James has won two MTV Movie Awards, one Teen Choice Award and other honors.