A private promise made in a candlelit bedroom became one of the final chapters in the life of James Van Der Beek, according to his wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek.
According to Fox News, Kimberly, 44, said the couple quietly renewed their wedding vows just days before the actor died from colorectal cancer on Feb. 11 at age 48.
Speaking to People magazine, she described the ceremony as “simple and beautiful and moving,” with close family present and others joining by Zoom.
“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.
The couple’s friend, Brazilian multi-instrumentalist Poranguí, provided music for the ceremony and played “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” at the end, she recalled.
Van Der Beek and Kimberly first met while vacationing in Israel in 2009. They married on Aug. 1, 2010, during a small ceremony at the Kabbalah Centre in Tel Aviv near Dizengoff Square.
The couple had six children together: daughters Olivia, Annabel, Emilia, and Gwendolyn, and sons Joshua and Jeremiah.
On their 13th anniversary in 2023, the actor reflected on their wedding day in a social media post, writing, “13 years ago today we were told that the guy who had come to you in a dream and had given you a wedding date could marry us — that night — in the basement of the Kabbalah Centre in Tel Aviv… on what happened to be the exact date he’d given you in the dream.”
He continued, “We rushed to get ready, had a bunch of people we didn’t know (and a few we did) dance around us, got ambushed by Israeli paparazzi afterwards, then ate at an outdoor Lebanese dive with plastic tablecloths and chairs and amazing food… and we were off.”
“We’ve gone through success, tragedy, joy, stress, triumph, uncertainty, and through it all… these have been the best years of my life. Every moment. Because I have the BEST adventure partner. Our life is CRAZY right now. We might be crazier. And I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he added. “I love you. I celebrate you. I honor you. Thank you for everything you are, and everything you bring out in the people lucky enough to be loved by you Much, much more to come.”
Van Der Beek revealed in November 2024 that he had stage 3 colorectal cancer, though he first received the diagnosis in August 2023.
After his death, friends launched a GoFundMe to support Kimberly and their children, citing emotional and financial strain from his illness. The page said the family faced significant medical costs and uncertainty about housing and education expenses.
Organizers later said more than $2 million had been raised. “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,” the page read.
