James Van Der Beek’s ‘DWTS’ partner Emma Slater reacts to his death

“Dancing with the Stars” pro Emma Slater is mourning James Van Der Beek’s death.

Slater, who was partnered with Van Der Beek on Season 28 of the reality series in 2019, commented on Kimberly Van Der Beek’s Instagram post on Wednesday where she shared the news of her husband’s passing.

“I’m so devastated. He is and will always be family to me,” Slater, 37, wrote.

“❤️ love you so much, James,” she added.

Later that day, Slater shared her own Instagram tribute to Van Der Beek, posting a photo of the pair smiling together on “DWTS.”

“My partner. My big brother. Over the many photos we’ve taken over the years, this one is still my favorite,” Slater began her lengthy message. “Dancing and laughing. It’s what we do.”

“Nothing I can write seems ok,” she continued. “All those who had the pleasure of having you in their lives are blessed. Forever changed by your brilliance. We got to have these beautiful years sharing life together. It started with being dance partners and I was beyond excited to be dancing with you, and it continued into the deepest of friendships.”

Slater said that Van Der Beek and his wife and six children “became family” and helped her find “so much purpose in our little community.”

“Watching your love for your family changed my life,” she shared.

The one-time Mirrorball Trophy winner expressed her gratefulness for Van Der Beek, highlighting his beautiful qualities including his “kindness,” “patience,” “empathy,” “wise advice” and ability to “master everything.”

Slater also revealed that she saw the “Varsity Blues” actor three days before his death.

“I’m so grateful that I got to see you on Sunday, to talk to you and to tell you for the millionth time how much I love you,” she wrote. “We laughed together. And I promised I would feel your presence always, as I already have.”

“I’m lucky to have known the man that you are,” she went on. “You have done so much, helped so many people. You’ll be forever in my heart. And now I know whenever I’m guided, I’ll be guided by you 🤍 I love you partner.”

Van Der Beek and Slater came in fifth place on Season 28 of “DWTS.” Despite being one of the frontrunners of the season, they were eliminated one week shy of the finale.

“The Bachelorette” star Hannah Brown and her partner Alan Bersten — who is now dating Slater — won that season.

Shortly before Van Der Beek’s “DWTS” elimination in Nov. 2019, he revealed on the show that his wife suffered a miscarriage with their sixth baby.

“He needed the show,” Slater told People at the time regarding the tragedy. “He said to me, ‘I need the show. I’m grateful to have an outlet and to have a form of physical expression and keep that engine to keep me going. I need to feel normal and not fall into the pit.’”

The couple eventually welcomed their sixth child, son Jeremiah, in Oct. 2021.

Kimberly, 44, shared on Wednesday that her husband “passed peacefully” after battling colorectal cancer.

The mother of six said Van Der Beek “met his final days with courage, faith and grace.”

She also asked “for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.”