'Dawson's Creek' alum James Van Der Beek has been sharing the ups and downs of his personal life recently, including his journey to parenthood, getting a vasectomy, and dealing with a colorectal cancer diagnosis.
- Nov 10, 2024
AceShowbiz - James Van Der Beek, 47, and his wife Kimberly are parents to six children: Olivia, 14, Joshua, 12, Annabel, 10, Emilia, 8, Gwen, 6, and Jeremiah, 3. Despite only planning for one of their children, the couple ended up with a large family.
"We love having kids, but we didn't really plan it out. It just happened," Van Der Beek told People. "One was 100% on purpose. The one thing we really sucked at was not getting pregnant," he added humorously.
Realizing that their family had grown quite large, Van Der Beek decided to get a vasectomy. He recounted discussing his surgery with his children comically, "I said, 'Listen, guys, you know Daddy has some surgery on his private parts, so just be really careful when you run up to me not to bump into anything.' "
The couple has also faced several miscarriages during their marriage. Kimberly, 42, experienced five miscarriages, with two occurring in the late stages of pregnancy. "Recovery goes in stages. You want to be better and then you realize you've got another little thing to unpack," James exclusively told Us Weekly in March 2020. Together, they've supported each other through these difficult times, prioritizing their bond and their family.
Earlier this month, Van Der Beek shared that he had been diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer. He had been dealing with the diagnosis privately and had been taking steps to resolve it with the support of his family.
"There's reason for optimism, and I'm feeling good," he stated. Kimberley noted that despite the struggles they have faced this year, their appreciation for life and each other has deepened. "This has been a really difficult year, but there's been this underlying way that we savor life differently," she expressed.
James Van Der Beek also shared that he was forced to announce his cancer diagnosis earlier than planned due to a tabloid leak. "There's no playbook for how to announce these things," he wrote on his Instagram, emphasizing that he initially wanted to share his story to raise awareness on his own terms.
As Van Der Beek continues his journey through treatment and recovery, he remains optimistic and dedicated to his family, looking forward to a future full of hope and health with Kimberly and their six children by his side.
