Photos Of James Van Der Beek's Final Days Are Heartbreaking
Fans watched James Van Der Beek transform from a child star and followed his life and career until his tragic death at age 48. The "Dawson's Creek" star was in the spotlight for decades, which makes seeing photos of him at the end of his life even more painful. Van Der Beek died on February 11 after being diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer back in 2023. In an Instagram post announcing his passing, the star's wife wrote that "he met his final days with courage, faith, and grace." And, photos of him during those final days prove just that.
In the wake of Van Der Beek's tragic death, his close friend Stacy Keibler shared a photo on Instagram of the pair watching the sunset together. While the pic only shows Van Der Beek's back, it was still clear that he was using a wheelchair and appeared to be thinner than most fans were used to him looking. "Spending these final days with you has been a true gift from God. I have never been so present in my life," Keibler wrote in the caption.
James Van Der Beek clearly got to say goodbye to many loved ones
Stacy Keibler was far from the only friend to share a photo of James Van Der Beek toward the end of his life. Designer Erin Fetherston took to Instagram to show a photo of her smiling at her friend while he lay in bed. Fetherston also shared a series of photos of James during happier times on her grid. "What an honor it was to have a seat at your table and to call you a best friend," she wrote in the caption.
Fellow actor Alfonso Ribeiro also shared an intimate photo of him and James on Instagram. In it, James is lying in bed wearing a beanie, and Ribeiro has his forehead pressed up against his. This was taken by [James' wife Kimberly Van Der Beek] just a few minutes before I said my last goodbye. My last moment was making him laugh one last time. I really miss him already," the "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" star wrote. The onslaught of photos shared by friends shows just how much time James got to spend with loved ones in his final days. And, their words make it clear just how missed he will be.