Actor James Van Der Beek shared a video message with his fans on his 48th birthday, reflecting on how battling cancer recently has altered his perspective on life.
The star of the teen television drama “Dawson’s Creek,” which aired on The WB from 1998 to 2003, announced he’d been diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer in 2024. He has been vague about his treatment, in December saying he was in the “recovery phase.” Van Der Beek said in the clip that this challenge has made him confront some major existential questions.
“I could define myself as a loving, capable, strong, supportive husband, father, provider, steward of the land that we’re so lucky to live on,” he said. “And for a long time, that felt like a really good definition of the question, ‘Who am I? What am I?’”
“And then this year, I had to look my own mortality in the eye,” Van Der Beek continued. “I had to come nose to nose with death. And all of those definitions that I cared so deeply about were stripped from me. I was away for treatment, so I could no longer be a husband who is helpful to my wife.”
He said, “I could no longer be a father who could pick up his kids and put them to bed and be there for them. I could not be a provider because I wasn’t working. I couldn’t even be a steward of the land because at times I was too weak to prune all the trees during the window that you’re supposed to prune them.”
The celebrity found himself asking the question: “If I am just a too-skinny, weak guy, alone in an apartment, with cancer, what am I?”
“So often we define ourselves by our roles in life or by what we do, but what if those things change? Who are we when it’s just us, alone, with nothing external to anchor us to a particular identity? And I meditated and the answer came through,” Van Der Beek went on. “I am worthy of God’s love, simply because I exist. And if I’m worthy of God’s love, shouldn’t I also be worthy of my own? And the same is true for you.”
The actor shares six children with his wife, Kimberly. She also celebrated her husband’s birthday on social media earlier this week, sharing a photo carousel alongside the caption, “Happy Birthday @vanderjames. May our hearts continue to dance together for many many many many more more birthdays. You are a treasure. I feel like the luckiest lady in the world to be married to you.”
She continued, “May this year bring you so much laughter, dancing, deepening connection with God, exceptional health and exquisite beauty all around – plus of course – family snuggles, sunrises, sunsets, play and restorative rest.”
