Kimberly Van Der Beek took to Instagram to honor her late husband, James Van Der Beek, on the first Father’s Day since his death.
On June 21, she posted a carousel of photos showing her husband with their six children. The caption read, "Missing you so much and thinking of how magnificent you were in every single way today. And somehow, from the other side? You continue to parent. You're a marvel."
The actor died on Feb. 11 at age 48 after battling colorectal cancer, which he had been diagnosed with in 2023 and publicly revealed in November 2024. His final days were spent at his ranch in Austin, Texas, surrounded by family and close friends.
He is survived by his wife and their six children: Olivia, 15; Joshua, 14; Annabel, 12; Emilia, 10; Gwendolyn, 8; and Jeremiah, 4.
The Varsity Blues star had spoken openly about how fatherhood changed his life for the better.
"God, it changes everything really," he said to Good Morning America at the time. "You just go for that shift ... from putting yourself first to other people—these little tiny humans that you love so much—being your first priority. And then you know what you genuinely want is to take care of [them], to make them feel safe, [and] keep them safe to connect with them and feel that joy."
In March, his daughter Emilia offered a window into how the family has been coping since his death in a video.
"I know that my dad's in a good place. He's not in pain anymore. He's in Heaven above the clouds with God and the Lord," she said. She also described a daily ritual: "I talk to my dad every day. I start with a sentence, and I say, 'Hi, Dad. I miss you and I love you so much, and I'll never stop loving you.'"
Kimberly Van Der Beek's post drew an outpouring of responses from friends and former colleagues. Actress Nikki Reed wrote, "The best of the best forever. We love you so much, James. Wrapping all of your little people in the warmest hugs today, and always."
Actor Dave Annable called him "the best father there ever was," and Dawson's Creek director Jason Moore wrote, "We miss him, and my heart is feeling you every day."
Dawson's Creek co-star Mary-Margaret Humes, who played Dawson's mother on the series, posted her own tribute, sharing a throwback promotional image from the show. Her caption urged fans to "give big meaningful hugs and tell them you love them while you still have the chance."
The Father's Day tributes arrive about four months after James Van Der Beek's passing. In May, Kimberly Van Der Beek reflected on the three-month mark of his death, writing that grief had moved beyond shock into raw reality.
"The comforts of shock have worn off,” she wrote. “The reality is settling in … and I miss him. We all miss him. Yet, there is a different kind of magic in the air. I feel him. I know him more deeply."
