Through sickness and in health, James Van Der Beek always found love, strength and support in his wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek. After meeting during a trip to Israel in 2009, the couple fell in love and got married one year later. During their relationship, the couple welcomed six children and moved to Texas to raise their family. One of James and Kimberly's greatest tests came when the Dawson's Creek actor was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Before his death in February 2026, James frequently gushed about his wife's support. James Van Der Beek and Wife Kimberly Van Der Beek's Relationship Timeline "She's been amazing," he told Good Morning America in December 2024. "She's really taught me what unconditional love is. I'm someone who has always in the past tried to do everything for everybody and never asked for help myself, and this has put me in a position of having to ask for help but having to receive help. And the beautiful blessing of that has been seeing how many people in my life have shown up." In March 2025, Kimberly expressed her love for James when celebrating his birthday. "You are a treasure," she wrote via Instagram. "I feel like the luckiest lady in the world to be married to you." As Hollywood mourns the death of James, keep reading to learn more about his forever partner: What Does Kimberly Van Der Beek Do? James Van Der Beek and Kimberly Van Der Beek Courtesy of Kimberly Van Der Beek/Instagram In addition to being a hands-on mom of six children, Kimberly Van Der Beek has served as a producer on special projects. She has a credit as an associate producer on director Adrian Grenier's documentary Teenage Paparazzo, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2010. The film explores the relationship between the Entourage star and a 14-year-old photographer named Austin Visschedyk. She also cohosted the "Bathroom Chronicles" podcast with Peggy Rometo from January 2023 to January 2024. How Did James Van Der Beek and Kimberly Van Der Beek Meet? James Van Der Beek previously revealed that he didn't expect to meet the love of his life during a trip across the globe. "I was in Israel, on a trip with an organized group, when it hit me: I was done being single. I wanted a real relationship. A soul mate. Someone with whom I could build a family," James recalled in an August 2020 Instagram post. "I was mid-revelation, rattling all this off to a friend of mine when a voice interrupted us, wanting to ask him a question. I was annoyed. Who the hell was stepping all over my moment? I turned around ... it was @vanderkimberly." How Many Kids Did James Van Der Beek and Kimberly Van Der Beek Have? James Van Der Beek and Kimberly Van Der Beek Courtesy of Kimberly Van Der Beek/Instagram During their 15-year marriage, James and Kimberly Van Der Beek welcomed six children. The couple's first child, Olivia, was born in September 2010. Their family expanded with Joshua in March 2012, Annabel Leah in January 2014, Emilia in March 2016 and Gwendolyn in June 2018. While James and Kimberly thought they were done having children, they expanded their family one last time with the birth of Jeremiah in October 2021. "You're a mother not only to our six co-creations... but to almost everyone you meet," James wrote via Instagram in May 2023. "Your compassion, your empathy, your genuine care and your ever-expansive heart... People trust you. They confide in you. They recognize your wisdom and magic, and know that they're seen by you." What Did Kimberly Van Der Beek Say About Pregnancy Loss? James and Kimberly Van Der Beek were open about her five miscarriages because they believed it was important to talk about. "I've noticed that a lot of countries really tell women when they've had a baby or a miscarriage, 'Take time to replenish,'" Kimberly said on an October 2020 episode of the "The Make Down" podcast. "But that's not what our society has endorsed." James Van Der Beek's Sweetest Moments With His Family Before His Death What Were Kimberly Van Der Beek's Final Social Media Posts With James Van Der Beek? Before celebrating Christmas in Texas, Kimberly Van Der Beek shared what became her final Instagram post with James Van Der Beek before his death. "Me and my bae @vanderjames ❤️🌹❤️," she wrote via Instagram in December 2025. Two months earlier, Kimberly shared a family photo with James and their six kids from Halloween.