The public first knew him as Dawson Leery on Dawson's Creek. To those closest to him, he was something far more enduring. Above all, a dad of 6. With the passing of James Van Der Beek at age 48 following a battle with stage 3 colorectal cancer, the grief rippling outward begins at home. His wife of 15 years, Kimberly Van Der Beek, shared the news of his death in a statement marked by quiet faith and gratitude, asking for privacy as the family mourns a husband and father who anchored their world.
