James Van Der Beek dealt with significant financial strain before his death from stage III colorectal cancer at age 48 in February 2026. The former Dawson's Creek actor and his wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, shared six children - daughters Olivia, Annabel, Emilia and Gwendolyn and sons Joshua and Jeremiah - so they were forced to deal with the harsh reality of unexpected medical bills on top of the already expensive costs of caring for a family of eight.