Why James Van Der Beek's widow made funds appeal hours after his death?

The Dawson’s Creek actor lost his life after battling with stage 3 colorectal cancer at age 48 on Wednesday morning, February 11, 2026.

James Van Der Beek had been fighting with cancer since August 2023 and revealed his cancer diagnosis in November 2024.

His wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, announced the news through her Instagram post.

She wrote, “Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning.”

Kimberly asked for privacy at the grieving moment, adding, “For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.”

What surprises many both in the industry and among the fan community, was the appeal that came soon after his passing.

In less than 24 hours after James Van Der Beek’s inner circle of friends created a GoFundMe account for the financial assistance to the late actor’s family.

The appeal comes after the actor’s family has exhausted all their savings on the medical expense that left them “out of funds.”

Sharing the link on her social media, she, Kimberly, wrote, “My friends created this link to support me and my children during this time. With gratitude and a broken heart.”

At the time of writing, by early Wednesday afternoon, February 11, they had already pooled over $346,943 out of a set target of raising $550,000.

But as per the latest reports, the page had generated more than $1 million of a new goal of $1.3 million.

James Van Der Beek starred in career-defining iconic roles across Dawson’s Creek, Varsity Blues, Don’t Trust the B—in Apartment 23, The Rules of Attraction, Ugly Betty, and How I Met Your Mother, among others.