James Van Der Beek would have been 49 on March 8, and his daughter Emilia Van Der Beek honored him the sweetest and most tear-jerking way possible. Kimberly revealed on Instagram that Emilia asked her if she could make a video to post, and in the clip, she talked directly to the world about her dad and about grief.
© Getty“Hello, my name is Amelia Vanderbeek, and as you all know, probably know, my dad has passed away," Emilia begins. She went on to share "little tips" to help anybody get through grief. "The number one thing for somebody's passing is to talk to them and let your emotions out. If you miss them, you can cry, you can talk to them."
“I talk to my dad every day,” she continued. “I start with a sentence, and I say, ' Hi, Dad, I miss you, and I love you so much, and I’ll never stop loving you. And I just tell him about my day, how I’m feeling… and I know he can hear me, but I can’t hear him.”
Grief is hard for people to talk about. And it’s the kind of advice adults struggle to articulate. Cry. Be angry. Be happy they’re in a good place. Don’t blame yourself. And don't let anyone tell you they know exactly how you feel.
“Everybody has different emotions in their body,” she explained. “They express it in many, many different ways.”
James died on February 11 at age 49 after a long battle with stage III colorectal cancer. He passed peacefully at 6:44 a.m., according to the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office. In a statement, his family said he met his final days “with courage, faith, and grace.”
© GettyHe had first revealed his diagnosis in November 2024, sharing that he’d been privately dealing with cancer after it was discovered during a colonoscopy in August 2023. “There’s reason for optimism,” he told People at the time. “I’m feeling good.” Through it all, he leaned on Kimberly and their six children.
Emilia also shared one of his items that's helping her through her mourning. “I stole his hat,” she said, "steal anything of theirs... My dad’s hat smells like him. And I love it so much.”
She spoke about heaven, “above the clouds with God and about miracles." Something her dad told her, she explained, was that even if things didn’t work out the way they wanted, they still had to believe in miracles: “Miracles can still happen, just later on in life.” "But maybe when you want them to come, they might not. But if they do pass, if they do go, just remember, they have some work to do on the other side," she continued.
© GettyFollowing his death, a GoFundMe was created with Kimberly listed as the beneficiary. The page revealed the immense financial toll his illness had taken on the family, explaining that years of medical care had depleted their funds. With a $1 million goal, donations are helping the family stay in their home, cover essential living expenses, and ensure their children can continue their education.
© David LivingstonAt the end of her video, Emilia thanked those who donated. “Holy moly. Thank you so much. I am blown away.”
She also made one thing clear - she knows her dad was loved. “A lot of people loved him. People prayed for him. He was loved by many, many hearts.”
