The actor's nine-year-old daughter marked his first posthumous birthday on March 8 with a touching video shared on Kimberly Van Der Beek's Instagram account.
James Van Der Beek's daughter, Emilia, moved fans when she honored her late father in a video posted nearly a month after his passing. In the clip, the young girl spoke about how she has been coping with the grief of losing him.
A Daughter's Heartbreaking Birthday Tribute
Kimberly and her children are still mourning as they face James's first birthday since his death. Emilia asked her mother if she could record a video to share on that day, and Kimberly agreed.
The mom of six explained the moment in the caption of the post, where she also wrote, "James... We will celebrate March 8th every day for the rest of our lives."
In the video, Emilia was outdoors as she reflected on the loss of her father, who died on February 11 at the age of 48 after battling stage three colorectal cancer.
In the video, Emilia began by saying, "As you will probably know, my dad has passed away." She said she wanted to offer a few small tips that might help others cope with losing someone they love. "The number one thing for somebody's passing is to talk to them and let your emotions out," she shared.
Emilia described how she personally speaks to her dad every day. She shared that she usually begins by greeting him. "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," she explained.
Emilia then talks to him about her day and how she is feeling, just as she also shares her emotions with her family. Although she cannot hear him, Emilia said she believes he can hear her.
"You have to feel them in your heart, because they're in your heart. They're watching over you. They're a part of your body and in a good place," she added.
Emilia said she believes her father is now in a peaceful place. "He's not in pain anymore. He's in heaven above the clouds with God and the Lord," she shared.
Emilia also noted that people who have lost someone can feel grateful knowing their loved one is in a better place, while still crying a lot and feeling sadness because they miss them. "You can be angry, but don't blame yourself. Blaming yourself is not a good strategy for someone's passing," continued Emilia.
She also emphasized that no one, even those who have gone through loss, understands how someone is feeling. "Everybody has different emotions in their body, and they express it in different ways. Many, many different ways," she explained.
Emilia went on to say that no one else can define how another person should feel while dealing with grief. "This is hard, it's going to be hard," she added.
The actor's daughter also recalled advice her father once shared with her, explaining that even when things do not unfold the way she hopes, she should continue believing in miracles. She said he encouraged her to remember that miracles can still happen, even if they come later in life rather than at the moment she expects them.
Emilia added a lighthearted moment to the clip, joking that something she had done after her dad passed on was stealing his hat, which she wore in the clip. She humorously advised others to steal anything that belonged to their late loved one. "My dad's hat smells like him, and I love it so much," she gushed.
She concluded by sharing that she continues to pray for her dad and believes he was a good man who is loved and prayed for by many people. Emilia also ended the message by thanking those who contributed to Kimberly's GoFundMe fundraiser, which raised over $2.7 million. She expressed her deep gratitude for the support.
Fans Moved to Tears by the Young Girl's Words
Fans were deeply moved by Emilia's emotional tribute. One viewer wrote, "Magical Emilia, thank you for sharing your heart and profound words - just like your Dad. 😭 Sending you all so much love. Happy birthday, James. 🕊️" Another fan admitted the message brought them to tears, "Gorgeous, wise angelic Emilia, this made me cry 🤍."
A different commenter praised both Emilia and her family, "This is so profound and beautiful and such a testament to the incredible way you have raised your beautiful family. Happy Birthday, James. We love you."
Someone else was equally impressed by the young girl's words, noting, "What a brilliant and beautiful child. Really, no words for how incredible this is. ❤️"
One particularly passionate message read, "Here are literally no words to express how highly I think of Emilia. There are no words. I think she’s the greatest role model ever. I was blown away by her when I saw her recently, and I’m blown away now. I can’t wait to see what she does in her life. I’ll be there every step of the way!"
A Love Story, Six Children, and Unimaginable Loss
James and Kimberly first met during a trip to Israel in 2009. The following year, they returned to the Middle East to exchange vows when Kimberly was pregnant.
The "Dawson’s Creek" actor and his wife were married on August 1, 2010, in Tel Aviv, Israel, in a small spiritual ceremony attended by a few close friends and teachers.
During their marriage, they welcomed six children: daughters Olivia, 15, Annabel, 12, Emilia, nine, and Gwendolyn, seven, along with sons Joshua, 13, and Jeremiah, four.
Over the years, Kimberly has spoken candidly about experiencing five miscarriages. Two of them were late-term losses that were especially difficult.
James addressed those moments in an Instagram post, explaining that the first occurred in December 2019 when they lost a baby at 18 weeks, a situation that also nearly cost Kimberly her life.
The second happened about two and a half years later, in August 2022. Both losses deeply affected the couple, though they worked through the healing process together.
The family later faced another hardship when James was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in August 2023. He revealed the diagnosis in November 2024, writing, "I've been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family."
James Van Der Beek added that he was feeling good and optimistic. Sadly, the family is now mourning his passing after he succumbed to the disease.
Renewing Their Vows Just Days Before Goodbye
Even in his final days, however, James remained devoted to those closest to him. Kimberly Van Der Beek shared that only a few days before his death, the couple renewed their vows in a simple yet meaningful ceremony.
"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," shared Kimberly.
Their children and a small group of close friends were present for the moment. One friend, instrumentalist Poranguí, performed what Kimberly described as the "most beautiful music" and concluded the ceremony with "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," while other friends joined the gathering over Zoom.
The couple's strong bond has remained unwavering even after James' death. The love they shared continues to live on within their family, who still honor and celebrate the actor even after his passing.
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