by Chelsea StewartBuzzFeedBuzzFeed Staff James Van Der Beek's rep is clarifying reports about a Texas property his family had been in the process of purchasing before his death last week at 48. Andrew Toth / Getty Images The Dawson's Creek star died on Wednesday following a three-year battle with colorectal cancer. He is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and six children aged between 4 and 15. Rick Kern / Getty Images Nearly six years before his death, James had relocated his family from Los Angeles to Austin, Texas, to provide a different pace of life for his kids.