What to Know
On February 11, Dawson’s Creek star James Van Der Beek died at the age of 48 after a nearly three-year battle with colorectal cancer. In the wake of his death, a GoFundMe has been established to raise money for his wife, Kimberly, and their six children after the cost of his medical care drained their bank account. At first, fans were happy to rally around the family in the midst of their grief, but now that James’ multi-million dollar real estate purchase has been exposed, the tide is turning fast.
The Van Der Beeks’ GoFundMe has already raised more than $2.6 million.
Despite the fact that the fundraiser has been live for less than a week, people have already chipped in well over $2 million to help the family with the aftermath of James’ death.
“Your generosity will help cover essential living expenses, pay bills, and support the children’s education,” says the fundraiser. “Every donation, no matter the size, will help Kimberly and her family find hope and security as they rebuild their lives. Thank you for considering a gift to support them.”
James was open about the family’s financial struggles before his death. In November 2025, he began selling his Dawson’s Creek props and memorabilia from the set in order to help fund his treatment.
Then, the news came out that he purchased a Texas ranch a month before he died.
Two days after James’ death, Realtor.com confirmed reports that he had purchased the ranch that he and his family had been renting just one month before he died for $4.76 million. According to the site, the property wasn’t listed and the sale was handled privately through an LLC. The ranch is located right outside of Austin, Texas and boasts 36 acres, a pool, the main house, and multiple cabins — plenty of room for his six children (who are all under the age of 16) to run around.
Realtor.com added that the main house is 5,149 square feet, and has five bedrooms and three bathrooms.
Critics are now calling the family “gross” for raising money.
Now that word has gotten out that James and Kimberly made such a huge purchase weeks before his death, people are feeling much less generous toward the family, as many commented in a Reddit post that discussed the real estate deal.
One commenter said, “I would understand it if all of the houses they own had mortgages that were not paid or that they had to sell all these houses to pay for the treatments but they would need to explain that in the description. Also, did he have no death insurance? With all those kids?”
Others believe the purchase shows that James and Kimberly had been irresponsible. “We can be sad about him dying young and leaving so many kids but we can also agree that he could have gotten a regular a– job years ago,” one person wrote. “And she could have too. They rented a giant piece of land to do what? If being an actor doesn’t give you enough money, then get another job. And stop having kids.”
It’s hard to judge the situation without having full knowledge of the family’s finances — or where the money to purchase the ranch came from. There’s no doubt that this is a difficult time for Kimberly and her kids, so no matter what, they’re likely comforted by the fact that they’ve put down roots.
