James Van Der Beek’s wife said he was bouncing back from cancer before death

James Van Der Beek’s wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, gave an optimistic update on his cancer battle just months before his death.

In November, Kimberly said the “Dawson’s Creek” actor was “bouncing back” from his stage 3 colorectal cancer diagnosis.

At the time, the mother of six left a message on her husband’s Instagram where he thanked fans for raising money for his cancer treatments.

“You’re a wizard. Bouncing back baby!! 😍😍😍,” Kimberly, 44, wrote in the comments section.

The post featured a clip of James tossing a football while sporting his iconic “Varsity Blues” jersey with his character’s name, Moxon, on the back.

James was selling signed and unsigned “Varsity Blues” jerseys, as well as “Dawson’s Creek” merch, to raise money for his cancer battle.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, he made $47K from selling the items from the hit teen drama series.

Sadly, James lost his battle with cancer on Wednesday. He was 48.

“Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning,” Kimberly announced in an Instagram statement.

“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,” she added.

James announced his cancer diagnosis in Nov. 2024, revealing that he received his diagnosis over a year earlier, in Aug. 2023.

He told People magazine that he was forced to reveal his diagnosis after learning “a tabloid was going to run with the news.”

“I’ve been dealing with this privately until now, getting treatment and dialing in my overall health with greater focus than ever before,” he told the outlet at the time.

Last March, James shared how his cancer battle affected his marriage and his family.

“I could no longer be a father, who could pick up his kids and put them and be there for them,” James said in an emotional Instagram video, adding that he also “could no longer be the husband that was helpful to [his] wife.”

James and Kimberly tied the knot in 2010. They shared six children: Olivia, 14, Joshua, 13, Annabel, 11, Emilia, 8, Gwendolyn, 6, and Jeremiah, 3