James Van Der Beek’s Wife Makes Plea for Money as His Medical Bills Put Them ‘Out of Funds’—‘They’re Working Hard to Stay in Their Home’
Dawson’s Creek star James Van Der Beek died on Feb. 11, 2026, after battling stage 3 colorectal cancer. He was 48.
His family confirmed his death on Instagram. “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,” they said in a statement.
What was James Van Der Beek’s net worth?
James Van Der Beek’s net worth was $3 million at the time of his death, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
After his death, his wife launched a GoFundMe to help support his family. “Throughout his illness, the family faced not only emotional challenges but also significant financial strain as they did everything possible to support James and provide for his care,” the description read.
It concluded, “Your generosity will help cover essential living expenses, pay bills, and support the children’s education. Every donation, no matter the size, will help Kimberly and her family find hope and security as they rebuild their lives. Thank you for considering a gift to support them.”
In December 2025, Van Der Beek announced that he would be auctioning off his Varsity Blues & Dawson’s Creek merchandise in order to fund his cancer treatment. “I’ve been storing these treasures for years, waiting for the right time to do something with them, and with all of the recent unexpected twists and turns life has presented recently, it’s clear that the time is now,” he told People.
“While I have some nostalgia tugging at me as I part with these items, it feels good to be able to offer them through Propstore’s auction to share with those who have supported my work over the years.” He promoted the sale on his Instagram with the caption, “Order now & get a signed one in time for Christmas,” and adding the hashtag “cancer is expensive.”
The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Van Der Beek raised over $47,000 in Propstore’s Winter Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction from auctioning off items like a necklace his character Dawson Leery gifted to Joey Porter (as played by Katie Holmes) and bedroom decorations from Dawson’s bedroom.
The actor had previously sold merch from his shows. Back in 2024, he posted on a now-deleted Instagram post. “Merch drop! Excited to celebrate the 25th anniversary of #VarsityBlues with a limited edition #4 Moxon jersey — each one personally autographed by me,” Van Der Beek captioned the images. “Grab yours now at the link in my bio or head over to JVDB.Shop.”
“100% of my net proceeds will go to families recovering from the financial burden of cancer (including my own 😇),” he added.
Two weeks before his death, actor Paul Walter Hauser revealed that he was fundraising $20,000 on Cameo for Van Der Beek so that he didn’t have to give away his beloved items in order for his kids could inherit them. “James Van Der Beek started selling his old stuff from his past acting jobs to pay for his colorectal cancer treatments, and it didn’t sit well with me,” Hauser began his Instagram post announcing his endeavor. “I am an actor and father of 3 children, and I want them inheriting my trinkets/wardrobe/memorabilia someday. I wouldn’t want to auction off a Stingray shirt or Marvel script to make ends meet for treatment.”
In one of his last interviews before his death, he talked about discussing the topic of cancer with his children. “Kids know if you’re not right. They know if you’re sick. They know you’re not feeling well. They know if you’re in pain,” he told Today. “So their request to me, especially the older ones, is, ‘Just be honest with us. We want to know.’ “
Van Der Beek added: “As much as I want to shield them from seeing me in any kind of pain or stress, I wanted to be Superman, Super Dad. You realize that resilience is not only something that they have and can build, but it’s the best thing for them.”
What did James Van Der Beek earn from Dawson’s Creek?
While James Van Der Beek’s Dawson’s Creek salary hasn’t been disclosed, the actor revealed that he wasn’t receiving much from it after the show ended. He noted that he made “almost nothing” from his role as “There was no residual money,” he told Today. “I was 20. It was a bad contract. I saw almost nothing from that.”
Still, Van Der Beek had a lot of pride in his role as Dawson Leery. He missed out on the recent Dawson’s Creek reunion in Sept. 2025 due to a stomach virus unrelated to his cancer. His six kids and his wife went in his place.
“As crushed as I was not being able to go to that Dawson’s Creek reunion, my family got to go. And I was Zooming in on that night, and they got a standing ovation just for taking their seats,” Van Der Beek recalled, smiling. “And all that love that would have otherwise been directed at me, was directed at my family. It was just one of the most beautiful moments I’ve ever gotten to witness. I’m just so grateful to the fans for doing that.”
