James Van Der Beek and his wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, renewed their wedding vows during an intimate bedside ceremony days before the late actor’s death.
Kimberly, 44, revealed the details in an interview with People, and said that they held a “simple and beautiful and moving” vow renewal ceremony with close family and friends.
“We decided two days beforehand and our friends got us new rings, filled our bedroom with flowers and candles and we renewed our vows from bed,” she said.
One of the couple’s friends, instrumentalist Poranguí, played the “most beautiful music” and closed their ceremony with Somewhere Over the Rainbow while other friends watched the ceremony over Zoom.
In a photo shared with People, Kimberly holds Van Der Beek’s hand on a pillow with their matching gold bands on display.
The vow renewal came six months after Van Der Beek shared a post on Instagram celebrating 15 years of marriage.
“15 years ago today, this woman agreed to be my bride. @vanderkimberly you are the most extraordinary human I’ve ever met,” he wrote in a post on Aug. 1. “One day I’ll tell the story of what you’ve endured these last two years and how you’ve shown up, time and time and time again. You have not only saved my life … you’ve shown me what it is to live.”
Just days after renewing his vows, Van Der Beek died on Feb. 11 at the age of 48, just over a year after being diagnosed with Stage 3 colorectal cancer.
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Kimberly announced Van Der Beek’s death in an Instagram post, writing, “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 come. For now, we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend,” the statement continued.
The Dawson’s Creek actor and Kimberly met during a trip to Israel in 2009 and tied the knot in August 2010. They share six children together: daughters Olivia, 15, Annabel, 12, Emilia, 9 and Gwendolyn, 7, and sons Joshua, 13, and Jeremiah, 4.
Following Van Der Beek’s death, friends of the late Varsity Blues actor created a GoFundMe page for his wife and their six children.
Kimberly shared the link to the fundraising page on her Instagram stories, writing, “My friends created this link to support me and our children during this time. With gratitude and a broken heart.”
The GoFundMe page said that the Van Der Beek family “faced not only emotional challenges but also significant financial strain as they did everything possible to support James and provide for his care” throughout his illness.
The Van Der Beek family is asking for the “support of friends, family, and the wider community” as they navigate the road ahead. Donations to the page will help cover “essential living expenses, pay bills, and support the children’s education.”
The GoFundMe post had raised more than $2.6 million of its $1.5-million goal from more than 50,000 donations as of Wednesday morning.
Several notable people in Hollywood have donated to the campaign, including director Steven Spielberg, who donated $25,000, and Oscar-winning actor Zoe Saldana, who donated $2,500 on a monthly basis.
“Every donation, no matter the size, will help Kimberly and her family find hope and security as they rebuild their lives,” the page reads.
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