James Van Der Beek’s Legacy and Message of Hope
Following the news of James Van Der Beek’s passing at 48, Derek Hough, a judge on Dancing with the Stars, reflected on the actor’s profound insights. Van Der Beek had shared a powerful message about his long struggle with colon cancer, touching on faith and the love of God.
Kimberly Van Der Beek, his wife, confirmed his death through a heartfelt social media post. Hough expressed his heavy heart, recalling a video Van Der Beek had shared that deeply impacted him. “It moved me to tears the first time I saw it, and I’m even more moved now,” he stated while captioning the video in a post on Wednesday. The video quickly garnered millions of views across various social media platforms.
Van Der Beek’s Insights on Cancer
Hough referred to Van Der Beek as a “wise, thoughtful, loving man,” expressing gratitude for the light he brought even in challenging times. The video, initially shared by Van Der Beek in March 2025, featured him discussing his battle with stage 3 colorectal cancer. He began the video by stating, “Today is my birthday. This year has been the most difficult year of my life.”
He reflected on his evolution, saying, “When I was younger, I defined myself as an actor, which wasn’t really all that fulfilling. Then I became a husband, which was much better. Then I became a father, and that was the ultimate.” To him, being a supportive provider felt like a strong identity. However, he faced his mortality during his cancer treatment, which he described as a moment of profound realization.
As he navigated through treatment, he felt stripped of his previous definitions, adding that he found himself asking, “If I’m just a skinny, frail guy alone in my apartment with cancer, what am I?”
He emphasized how sharing his journey of healing was crucial to him—citing the prayers and love he received as instrumental. “I wanted to share it with you because I believe that the revelation that came to me was due in no small part to all the prayers,” he expressed. His insight led him to realize his worthiness of love, both from God and himself, which he extended to others, stating, “And that applies to you too.”
Van Der Beek also acknowledged the complexity of one’s relationship with faith, encouraging those struggling with the term “God” to think of it more broadly: “If that’s a trigger and you feel too religious, remove the word ‘God’ and your mantra can simply be ‘I am worthy of being loved,’ because you are.”
Many took to social media to express their admiration for Van Der Beek’s words, including podcaster Patrick Bett David who described his message as inspirational. Emmy Award-winning actor Eric Martsolf also chimed in, praising the heartfelt sentiments shared by Van Der Beek.
