Just a Month before Passing, James Van Der Beek Made One of His Final Acts of Love for His Wife and Six Kids

Before his death, James Van Der Beek made a quiet move that spoke louder than words. He secured something lasting for his wife and six children, and the timing gives it added weight.

James Van Der Beek died February 11, 2026, at 48, following a two-year battle with colorectal cancer. He had been living with his wife and six children at their ranch outside Austin, Texas.

In his final months, much of what was happening remained out of public view.

What Was Really Happening

Behind the scenes, James had entered hospice care.

"James was on hospice for several weeks and he was rail thin when he passed," a source exclusively told the outlet. "He was mostly in bed because he was very weak, and he was not eating."

The source added that there was little more doctors could do. He "had not been in treatment for a while because there was nothing more the doctors could do, the cancer was aggressive."

Suddenly, his words about resting and recovery take on a different meaning. Around the same time, another development was quietly unfolding.

One Last Act for Those He Loved Most

According to Realtor.com, James purchased the Texas ranch where he and his family had been living just one month before his death. Property records indicate the couple closed on the 36-acre Spicewood estate on January 9 for $4.76 million.

He and Kimberly had first relocated to the property in 2020 after leaving Beverly Hills. At the time, they chose to lease the ranch while determining whether Texas would become their permanent home.

Over the next several years, the property became central to their family life. It was also there that James began cancer treatment.

The purchase was completed through an LLC managed by a California attorney, and the transaction appears to have taken place off-market, with no public listing before the sale was finalized.

Spanning 5,149 square feet, the main home includes five bedrooms and three bathrooms, along with several cabins, a barn, a pool, and views of the Pedernales River.

Additional amenities include a commercial kitchen, balconies overlooking the water, an outdoor living space, and a tram leading down to the river.

An earlier listing described the property as a place to "channel your 'hippie cowboy.'"

Kimberly has previously spoken about the importance of space for their children, saying that the expansive land was "really, really necessary" for their large family.

When they first moved in, she also praised their landlords as "incredible" and "magical," noting they were allowed to "steward the land as if it's our own and go wild with it."

But as the years passed, the ranch would take on a far different meaning for the family.

A Family Watching Him Fade

James and Kimberly share six children: Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn, and Jeremiah Van Der Beek. Those closest to the family say the children were by his side during his final days.

"He was in hospice, they held his hand and were there for him, of course, but it has been hard because James was so ill, he was weak," the source continued. "He had so much charisma, he was a wonderful soul, and his presence is missed. Those poor little kids."

The loss, the insider said, is devastating not only emotionally, but structurally. "This is very hard for the family, they are totally broken over his passing because he was the patriarch, he was the leader," the source said. "There are puddles of tears everywhere and it all falls on Kimberly's shoulders."

But beyond the emotional loss, the family was also facing mounting practical challenges.

The Financial Toll No One Saw

James was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2023. According to the publication, the treatments were grueling and required near-constant doctor appointments, making it difficult for him to work consistently.

His last steady role was on Disney Jr.'s animated show "Vampirina," which ran from 2017 to 2021. Behind closed doors, the cost mounted.

"It costs a lot of money to support a large family," a friend previously told the outlet. "So the bills are crazy. From the mortgage and car payments to all the food and health insurance payments - I mean, it's a heavy load. Then tack on the medical bills. It's not fun."

On Wednesday, Kimberly launched a GoFundMe page to "cover essential living expenses, pay bills, and support the children's education." The fundraiser has already raised more than $2,641,279.

Even as financial support poured in, those closest to James knew the fight itself was coming to an end.

The Quiet Truth

Treatment had ceased after doctors determined there were no remaining options. "James wanted peace the last few weeks of his life," according to the source who spoke exclusively to the news outlet.

In a January 16 Instagram post, he said he planned to "take the winter to recover, to rest." In the end, that winter became his final season, and what he wanted most was not another resolution, not another battle, but peace.

In the video, James questioned the timing of resolutions.

"In the winter, the days are shorter and the nights are longer. But instead of being reminded how perfect this season is for cocooning, eating stew, snuggling, and sleeping… why are we being told this is the time to buy a gym membership?" he captioned the video.

In the video, he began candidly, "Anyone else out there finding that your New Year's resolution was impossible to keep? I'm gonna say something: 'I don't think it's your fault. I think it makes total sense."

He continued, "Why are we celebrating a new year in the dead of winter? Why are we celebrating new beginnings at a time when nature rests? Animals are hibernating, and birds fly south for the winter. The time to celebrate a new beginning, and a new you, and a new resolution is in the Spring at the vernal equinox when the flowers bloom, and it gets warmer, and the birds return."

With a grin, he added, "That's how nature does it. Why are we fighting nature?" I mean, all due respect to Pope Gregory the Eighth, who saddled us with the Gregorian calendar system, but it just makes absolutely no sense."

Then came his closing line:

"Plus … Here me out on this one: If March is the first month of the year, that means September is the seventh, October the eighth, November the ninth, December the 10th — you see where I'm going with this, right? So, I'm gonna say [expletive] it. I'm gonna take the winter to recover, to rest, and I'm gonna make New Year's resolutions in the Spring. Who's with me?"

At the time, the remark sounded light. In hindsight, it reflects a man who was already putting his family's future in order.