“Dawson’s Creek” star James Van Der Beek died Wednesday, February 11, at age 48, following a battle with colorectal cancer, according to a post on his official Instagram account. The diagnosis came just over a year after he publicly revealed he was undergoing treatment for the disease.
The post read, “Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace. There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity, and the sacredness of time. Those days will approach. For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.”
Van Der Beek’s death comes less than a month after the death of Catherine O’Hara, the “Beetlejuice” and “Schitt’s Creek” actress, who died January 30 at age 71. Her cause of death was listed as a pulmonary embolism with colorectal cancer as an underlying cause, according to the New York Times.
The incidence of colorectal cancer is decreasing among older Floridians, but rising among those in Van Der Beek’s age group, according to data from the Florida Health Department. Between 1990 and 2022, diagnoses among Florida residents aged 70 to 74 fell by more than half. However, for those between 40 and 49, incidence rates nearly doubled over the same period, according to the Florida Cancer Data System.
Born March 8, 1977, in Cheshire, Connecticut, Van Der Beek began his acting career with a 1993 appearance on Nickelodeon’s “Clarissa Explains It All” and a role in the 1995 film “Angus.” He gained widespread recognition playing Dawson Leery on the WB series “Dawson’s Creek,” which ran from 1998 to 2003. He told “Good Morning America” in 2020 that he was a “very shy kid” who initially did not aspire to be an actor, preferring athletics.
In a 2018 reunion with the cast of “Dawson’s Creek” for Entertainment Weekly, Van Der Beek admitted to finding aspects of his character “annoying,” while appreciating the vulnerability he portrayed.
Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the U.S. And the second-leading cause of cancer deaths. It develops in the colon or rectum and is influenced by factors including genetics, lifestyle choices, and age. The National Institutes of Health notes that colorectal cancer can cause blood to produce more clots, potentially leading to pulmonary embolism, as was cited in O’Hara’s death certificate.
Medical consensus emerged in 2021 recommending that screening for colorectal cancer begin at age 45, lowered from the previous recommendation of age 50, due to the increasing number of diagnoses among younger adults. Researchers are still working to determine the exact cause of this trend, with theories ranging from genetic mutations to dietary factors.
Symptoms of colorectal cancer include changes in bowel habits, blood in the stool, frequent gas pains, unexplained weight loss, and fatigue. Early detection through colonoscopies is associated with a significantly decreased risk of death from the disease, with Harvard Medical School reporting a potential reduction of as much as 69%.
Following Van Der Beek’s death, his widow has asked for aid to support their six children, according to Entertainment Weekly, stating that the family is currently “out of funds.”
