Actor James Van Der Beek shared evangelistic message, revelation about God before his death

By Anugrah Kumar, Christian Post Contributor Monday, February 16, 2026

Actor James Van Der Beek, who portrayed Dawson Leery on the television drama “Dawson’s Creek” and died Feb. 11 at age 48 after living with Stage 3 colorectal cancer, shared an evangelistic reflection about God during the final phase of his life.

In a video reflection recorded during treatment, he spoke about identity, mortality and spiritual worth, talking about a shift from defining himself through work and family roles toward a belief in inherent value rooted in divine love.

“When I was younger, I used to define myself as an actor, which was never all that fulfilling, and then I became a husband, it was much better, and then I became a father. That was the ultimate,” he said.

“I am worthy of God’s love simply because I exist,” he said.

The reflection emerged during an extended period of illness that began with symptoms in 2023 and led to a public diagnosis in November 2024.

Medical treatment then separated him from those roles. “I had to come nose to nose with death,” he said, adding that “all those definitions that I cared so deeply about were stripped from me.”

Distance from his family and inability to work deepened that crisis. “I could no longer be a husband who was helpful to my wife,” he said. “I could no longer be a father who could pick up his kids and put them to bed and be there for them. I could not be a provider because I wasn’t working.”

At what he described as his lowest moment, he questioned his remaining identity. He recalled feeling like “a too-skinny, weak guy, alone in an apartment with cancer … what am I?”

From that point, the reflection turned toward faith and intrinsic worth. “I am worthy of God’s love simply because I exist,” he said. “And if I’m worthy of God’s love, shouldn’t I also be worthy of my own?”

He called his understanding of God unfinished. “I certainly don’t claim to know what God is or explain God, my efforts to connect to God are an ongoing process that is a constant unfolding mystery to me.”

He added, “If it’s a trigger that feels too religious, you can take the word God out of your mantra and it can simply be ‘I am worthy of love.’ Because you are.”

He pursued treatment associated with Stage 3 colorectal cancer while continuing limited professional activity and maintaining visibility through interviews and online messages.

His family confirmed the death in a public statement that described a peaceful passing and requested privacy while relatives mourned the loss of a husband, father, son, brother and friend. He is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and their six children.

Public reaction spread quickly across social media and entertainment communities as fellow performers shared grief and messages of support.

A fundraising campaign linked by actress Leigh-Allyn Baker had collected more than $2.6 million.

Van Der Beek gained national recognition through “Dawson’s Creek,” a coming-of-age drama that premiered in 1998 and continued for six seasons. The series introduced audiences to characters played by Katie Holmes, Michelle Williams and Joshua Jackson while establishing him as a central figure in teen television storytelling.

Film roles expanded his visibility beyond television, including the 1999 football drama “Varsity Blues” and later appearances in projects such as “The Rules of Attraction” and “Jay and Silent Bob Reboot,” according to AOL. Television credits stretched across procedural dramas, comedies and voice acting, alongside reality competition programs that kept him present in popular culture.

His path into acting began in Cheshire, Connecticut, after a football injury redirected his interests toward performance. A school audition for a production of “Grease” led to further opportunities that culminated in his breakout casting at age 21.

Former cast members reunited in September 2025 for a live reading of the “Dawson’s Creek” pilot to benefit the nonprofit F Cancer, an event organized by Michelle Williams that featured a recorded message from Van Der Beek thanking supporters.

One of his final written reflections referred to the scale of cancer worldwide and placed his own experience within that global context, noting that millions receive diagnoses each year.