How James Van Der Beek's friends helped him pay for his family’s ranch in the weeks before his death
Niamh Shackleton
Featured Image Credit: GoFundMe
James Van Der Beek's friends went above and beyond for him and his family in the weeks leading up to the Dawson's Creek star's passing on February 11, aged 48.
The actor had been battling colorectal cancer before he died, having gone public with his diagnosis in 2024.
Celebrities have been paying tribute to Van Der Beek in the wake of his tragic death, including his Dawson's Creek co-star Katie Holmes.
In her moving tribute, she said of her late friend: "I mourn this loss with a heart holding the reality of his absence and deep gratitude for his imprint on it."
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Elsewhere his other close friends shared photos of them spending time with Van Der Beek in the days before his passing.
Van Der Beek lived out the last years of his life on his ranch in Austin, Texas, with his wife Kimberly and their six kids: daughters Olivia, 15, Annabel, 12, Emilia, 9, and Gwendolyn, 7, and sons Joshua, 13, and four-year-old Jeremiah.
They relocated to the ranch from Beverly Hills back in 2020 and had rented their home. However, in Van Der Beek's final weeks, he purchased the property.
His friends are said to have helped him do this by setting up a trust for the Varsity Blues star, his rep confirmed to People.
"James secured a down payment for the Texas ranch for the family with the help of friends through a trust so they could shift from rent to mortgage," they told the outlet.
According to Realtor.com, the property was bought for a whopping $4.8 million through a Limited Liability Company (LLC) – a type of business structure – that's being managed by a California attorney.
It's speculated that the 36-acre ranch was bought off-market as there's no record of the property being publicly listed before being purchased by the Van Der Beeks.
On the land is a main house, several cabins, a pool, and a backyard with views of the Pedernales River.
Following Van Der Beek's death, a GoFundMe page was created to help cover the late actor's medical bills, as his family faces 'significant financial strain'.
At the time of writing, an astounding $2.6 million had been raised for Kimberly and the kids, $25,000 of which came from critically acclaimed director Stephen Spielberg and his wife Kate Capshaw.
In an update shared to the page on February 12, the page creator thanked everyone for their support.
"Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for showing up for James and his beautiful family," they penned.
"Your kindness has meant more than we can put into words. In the middle of deep grief, your support has been a light. It reminds us that love is real, that community is strong, and that James’s spirit continues to bring people together."
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact GrieveWell on (734) 975-0238, or email [email protected].