James Van Der Beek has died

[MeridianB]

Just 48. So tragic.

”Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. 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.'

He is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and their six children.

Mmm... I don't know the timing of the GoFundme for sure, but it looks like it was set up four hours ago by his wife and the target raised from $400k to $700k. Makes me feel uncomfortable - could it have waited until after his funeral.

Probably have medical bills to pay, and the best time is when there's the most publicity.

It's awful but practical

Agreed! So sad. RIP Dawson!

He was diagnosed in 2023

So incredibly sad.
Dawsons Creek brings back lots of carefree, teenage memories-I can still remember the origional theme tune. RIP James.

I’m a nurse and the last few times I’d seen him in the media, I did think from his appearance that he was very ill, although he was always positive and indicating he was doing okay. I feel for his family.
I loved Dawson’s Creek as a teenager and thought he was brilliant in Don’t trust the b*
RIP James

I feel very uncomfortable about the GoFundMe page. It seems somehow exploitative of his popularity. It was certainly set up very quickly. The target began at $500,000 and has now been increased to $1.3 million. Wouldn’t it be lovely if all that money could go to cancer research?

Or to pay off his medical bills?

He was auctioning his memorabilia last year to pay for them.

There's a very high chance of bankruptcy in the States when you get cancer. Hopefully his wife and kids won't have to suffer that too

He was selling off his memorabilia last year to pay for his cancer treatment so I suspect his poor wife is struggling to pay the bills now hence why the go fund.

I understand that that’s why it’s been set up. It still doesn’t sit right with me that they can raise over a million dollars overnight on the strength of his popularity when there will be millions of people in America struggling with medical bills who have no choice but to go bankrupt.

Surely it depends how much his medical bill ,s are?
It doesnt matter wether it sits right with you
Medical bills can be extortionate in America and may well run into the millions the last thing his family need right now is to be worrying about money.

So you think the family should go bankrupt because he was famous?

Totally off-topic, but the original theme was By Jann Arden and it made made me fall in love with her. I desperately searched for the song but found out that they asked her for 42 seconds, so she gave them 42 seconds. There's no more. Blew my mind, that fact.
"Oh bows and arrows Stars and sunsets"

Only ever watched a few episodes of dawsons creek but was aware of James’ social media presence over the past few years. He seemed very intelligent and thoughtful.

Very sad.

Let me turn that around for you - do you think the millions of Americans who can’t afford their medical bills either should go bankrupt because they are not famous?

I know it doesn’t matter to them whether it sits right with me. I am, however, still allowed to express an opinion.

He didn’t have cancer treatment in the traditional sense, they went for homeopathic treatments. Still obscenely expensive of course. He and his wife are anti vax. Their home is worth over 4 mil and they have another home in LA that they rent out for 12k a month. I feel awful that he’s died but I don’t think they need to be raising millions of pounds from ordinary people when they have all that.

No of course not but your stance makes no sense.
What is the benefit of someone not fundraising just because they are well known? How does that benefit the ordinary person?

Wouldn’t you use whatever resources you have to provide for your family?

Really sad. He seemed lovely on social media. I’ve lost too many people but it still unsettles me to think of someone with thoughts, feelings, life, dreams, wisdom, love, experiences, presence.. just ends. Just switches off.

No one has to give anything do they? I'm.sure he felt gutted that he couldn't work and leave a legacy for his kids like his co stars will. I have no problem with his wife doing what she can to secure their very young and quite numerous kids' futures.

Wow - he’s the same age as me and I felt very sad reading this yesterday, was also a dawsons creek fan.

but to read that he and his wife are anti vax and went for homeopathic treatments - that’s really disappointing to read if it’s true.

Do you know that for a fact?
I read he was in a hospice for the last few weeks of ho life so presumably he had some care that managed the pain I guess it depends on what the prognosis was on what treament he might have chosen?

Yeah, I’m not giving anything but I don’t particularly have any issue with the Go Fund me. I’d imagine it was very difficult for him knowing that he was leaving them behind and not in a financially secure position.

I knew they were very alternative about a lot of things, but hadn’t realised he’d had homeopathic cancer treatment. That makes me a bit sad as I wonder if things would have been different if he’d had more conventional treatment. And I wonder if he thought about that too.

Possibly not though, to both. And from what I’ve seen and read he seemed very calm and accepting towards the end.

I found the photos of him with various people at the end very upsetting. Sad, just because of the nature of it. And I guess I felt a bit like I shouldn’t be seeing them, they should be private. Possibly felt a bit intrusive. Mostly though, just so very sad.

I also find them hard to look at as having lost a very close relative two years ago, I didn’t do that. We didn’t have that honesty. We both knew he was dying but it was never spoken. I kept a brave face on and was endlessly optimistic. I wish I had been brave enough to have said goodbyes etc. But even thinking about it now I just don’t think I could face it.

i find that finality of death just so difficult.