One month after her father’s passing, Emilia Van Der Beek shared a heartfelt tribute on March 8, commemorating what would have been James Van Der Beek’s 49th birthday. In a video posted to her mother’s Instagram account, Emilia, age nine, stood outside as she reflected on the loss of her dad.
Her mother, Kimberly Van Der Beek, explained the story behind the post in the caption.
“Emilia asked me if she could make a video to post today, walked outside, and came back with this.”
James Van Der Beek and his wife have six children: Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn, and Jeremiah, ages 4–15 as of early 2026.
In the video, Emilia said she wanted to share “little tips” for anyone dealing with grief:
“As you will probably know, my dad has passed away, but I’m just going to tell you little tips, or anything that helps you getting through anybody you love’s passing…”
Emilia also shared that she copes with the grief of her father’s death, in part, by letting her “emotions out” through daily conversations with him.
She described how she stays connected with her father:
“So today is my dad's birthday, and 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. 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.' ”
Her father rose to fame portraying Dawson Leery on Dawson’s Creek, later appearing as a fictionalized version of himself on the ABC sitcom Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23. He also starred as FBI agent Elijah Mundo on CSI: Cyber and appeared as Matt Bromley during the first season of the FX drama Pose.
Emilia continued:
“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. My mom can.”
While acknowledging that losing someone is difficult, Emilia encouraged others to express their emotions and lean on family for support.
She shared what brings her comfort after her father’s passing:
“I know that my dad is in a good place. He’s not in pain anymore. He’s in heaven, above the clouds with God. And the Lord.”
According to Emilia, a lasting message her father shared with her was that no matter how his story ended, she should continue believing in miracles. The young speaker also thanked supporters who donated to a GoFundMe created by friends of Kimberly Van Der Beek to help support the family.
You can watch the touching tribute here:
Emilia’s heartfelt message quickly resonated with viewers, with many social media users praising her strength and maturity while sharing their own grief experiences.
You can view the reactions here:
Van Der Beek died on February 11 at age 48 after battling stage three colorectal cancer. Kimberly Van Der Beek also paid tribute to her husband by sharing dozens of photos and clips of the actor on her Instagram Stories.
One post included a photo of the couple together with a short message reflecting on the day:
“Would be your 49th birthday today. And I'm missing you tremendously.”
James Van Der Beek and Kimberly Van Der Beek met in 2009 during a group trip to Tel Aviv, Israel. The couple later married in Tel Aviv in 2010 and went on to build a family together.
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