James Van Der Beek’s Final Phrases Earlier than Loss of life

James Van Der Beek seemingly anticipated to reside till the spring in his heartbreaking final Instagram video posted weeks earlier than his dying.

Van Der Beek, finest recognized for his roles in initiatives like Dawson’s Creek and Varsity Blues, died on the morning of February 11, 2026. He was 48 years outdated. His household confirmed his dying in an Instagram submit. “Our beloved James David Van Der Beek handed peacefully this morning. He met his closing days with braveness, religion, and beauty. There’s a lot to share relating to his needs, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. These days will come. For now we ask for peaceable privateness as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and buddy,” the submit learn with a photograph of Van Der Beek. Van Der Beek’s spouse, Kimberly Van Der Beek, whom he married in 2010, was a collaborator on the submit.

Weeks earlier than his dying, Van Der Beek, who was recognized with stage 3 colorectal most cancers in 2023, shared an Instagram video on January 15 through which he defined why he was ready till spring to make his New 12 months’s Decision. (In accordance with the Farmer’s Almanac, spring formally begins this yr on March 20, 2026, a bit over a month after Van Der Beek’s dying.)

“Anybody else on the market discovering that your New 12 months’s decision was inconceivable to maintain? I’m going to say one thing: I don’t suppose it’s your fault,” he stated. “Why are we celebrating a brand new yr within the lifeless of winter? Why are we celebrating new beginnings at a time when nature rests? I’m going to take winter to recuperate, to relaxation, and I’m going to make New 12 months’s resolutions within the spring. Who’s with me?”

Van Der Beek then went on to elucidate his reasoning for holding off on making any New 12 months’s Resolutions till spring. “Animals are hibernating! Birds fly south for the winter!” he stated. “The time to have fun a brand new starting, and a brand new you, and a brand new decision, is within the spring, on the vernal equinox, when the flowers bloom and it will get hotter and the birds return. That’s how nature does it. Why are we combating nature?”

In an interview with In the present day in December 2025, Van Der Beek revealed that he was recognized with most cancers after sensing one thing was off in his physique, which led him to get a colonoscopy. As he was coming off of the anesthetic, his physician knowledgeable him that he had Stage 3 colorectal most cancers. “I went into shock,” he stated. “I actually don’t suppose I knew what to do. Neither did my spouse. And we drove dwelling in silence. And a part of me needed to panic. A part of me needed to only freak out. However then one other a part of my mind was like, ‘You don’t know sufficient but.’”

He continued, “One of many issues I used to be actually fortunate about was after I heard the information, I used to be like, ‘That is gonna be the very best factor that’s ever occurred to me.’ I had this little voice in my head that stated, ‘You’re gonna make modifications in your life that you’d by no means, ever make for those who didn’t have this excessive of a prognosis, and it’s gonna add wholesome, joyful years to your life.’”