Stacy Keibler has paid tribute to James Van Der Beek and revealed that she spent his final days with him.
Former Dawson’s Creek actor Van Der Beek died on Wednesday (February 11). He was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2023 and shared his diagnosis publicly the following year.
Former WWE star Keibler posted a photo of herself with the actor on Instagram hours after his family shared the news of his death and wrote, “Spending these final days with you has been a true gift from God. I have never been so present in my life.”
She added, “When you know time is sacred, you don’t waste a single breath. You don’t rush. You don’t scroll. You don’t worry about tomorrow. You sit. You listen. You hold hands.”
She shared that they watched a sunset together and saw a shooting star cross the sky a few nights before, and continued: “You are a gift. An incredible husband. An extraordinary dad. The way you showed up for [wife Kimberly] and your children…steady, strong, devoted…was a blessing to witness. It has been an honor to stand beside your family in these sacred moments.”
Keibler has acted herself in the past, appearing in series including How I Met Your Mother, Chuck and Psych. It’s reported that she first met Van Der Beek when he was starring in Dawson’s Creek, and she has become a close family friend over the years.
She’s one of a number of famous friends and colleagues to have paid tribute to Van Der Beek following his death. His Dawson’s Creek co-star Katie Holmes shared a handwritten note to him that read, “To share space with your imagination is sacred,” while Busy Phillips, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jennifer Garner, Reese Witherspoon and Lin-Manuel Miranda are among the other stars to pay their respects.
Van Der Beek’s family announced his death, writing in a social media statement, “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.”
He is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and their six children: Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn and Jeremiah.