‘Dawson’s Creek’ Star James Van Der Beek and Wife Kimberly Renewed Vows at Their Texas Ranch Days Before He Died

"Dawson's Creek" star James Van Der Beek and his wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, renewed their vows at their sprawling Texas ranch just days before he died following his two-year battle with Stage 3 colorectal cancer.

The death of the beloved actor, who revealed at the end of 2024 that he had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer, was shared by his wife in a heartbreaking social media post on Feb. 11, hours before a GoFundMe was launched to help the widow and her children cope with the sky-high cost of the star's medical bills.

In the final days before his death, James and Kimberly renewed their wedding vows in an emotional recommitment that was put together by their friends and family.

While opening up to People, Kimberly revealed, "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."

She noted that the ceremony was "simple and beautiful and moving.”

The couple was surrounded by their family and close friends, one of whom played the "most beautiful music" while other pals attended via Zoom.

The Van Der Beeks renewed their vows at their sprawling Texas ranch that Realtor.com® exclusively revealed he had purchased just one month before he died at the age of 48, after first renting it in 2020.

According to IRS records obtained by TMZ, the couple received a federal tax lien in November 2021 due to unpaid taxes from years prior.

The couple reportedly owed $95,438.31 for 2017 and $173,890.31 for 2019, bringing the total to $269,328.62. The balance was then paid and the lien was released in 2022.

The couple moved to the picturesque 36-acre property, which is located in Spicewood, just outside of Austin, in 2020, when they relocated their family from Beverly Hills, CA, to the Lone Star State in a bid to give their children more opportunity to enjoy the beauty of nature.

At the time, the couple chose to lease the lush ranch property, with Kimberly previously revealing that they had wanted to test out life in Texas before committing to laying down permanent roots in the area.

However, James and Kimberly quickly fell in love with the property—as did their six children—and it was on the ranch where the "Varsity Blues" star began treatment for cancer, which he revealed he had been diagnosed with in 2024.

Property records now show that James and Kimberly officially purchased the ranch for $4.76 million on Jan. 9, just over a month before the actor died.

The couple purchased the ranch through an LLC, which is managed by a California attorney.

It appears the deal took place off-market, and there is no record of the property being publicly listed before the sale was finalized.

The 36-acre spread includes a main house, several cabins, a pool, and a backyard with views of the Pedernales River.

The 5,149-square-foot main house features five bedrooms and three bathrooms. It comes with a commercial kitchen, balconies with sky and river views, an outdoor living space with a pool, and a tram to the river. The grounds include a barn perfect for throwing a party.

The waterfront residence was previously described as being the perfect place to “channel your ‘hippie cowboy,’” according to an old listing.

When revealing the news about her husband's death, Kimberly asked for "peaceful privacy" for her family and the couple's six children.

"Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning," Kimberly wrote in an Instagram post. "He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace.

"There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. Those days will come. For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend."

In the wake of Van Der Beek's death, a number of his celebrity friends shared their grief in online tributes posted in honor of the actor, with several of them revealing they had traveled to his Austin home in order to be by his side when he passed.

"Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" star Alfonso Ribeiro, who is godfather to the Van Der Beeks' daughter, wrote in the comments section of Kimberly's post, "Lucky I got to be there to say goodbye."

"Desperate Housewives" actor Mehcad Brooks also penned, "Being there with you these past days has been the greatest honor of my life," Brooks wrote in the comments section. "Until we meet again my beautiful brother."

In a video posted on Instagram, he added "one of the greatest honors of my life was that I got to be there last four or five days, every day" with James.

Brooks revealed that he was at his friend's Texas ranch to "hold his hand, and pray with him, and tell him jokes, and tell him how much I love him, and sing to him, and join in on the energy work and literally just watch this man handle death like a king."

WWE star Stacy Keibler also revealed that she was at the actor's side in the days leading up to his death, even sharing an image of the pair, which saw James sitting in a wheelchair staring out at the sunset.

The athlete went on to brand the actor a "gift," "incredible husband," and an "extraordinary dad" to the six children he shares with Kimberly.

Designer Erin Fetherston also said that she was able to visit James in his final days, penning, "What an honor it was to have a seat at your table and to call you a best friend. The space you leave behind can never be filled, but we will do our best to shower your beautiful family with love and remember to keep dancing in your honor — because you always knew the importance of joy. We love you. Always."

"Dawson's Creek" costar Katie Holmes also honored the actor with a heartfelt tribute, noting that his death was "a lot to process."

James, who shared six children with his wife, spent much of his time in the wake of his diagnosis undergoing treatment at his family's sprawling ranch in Austin, having moved to the property from Los Angeles in 2020.

Soon after revealing the news of her husband's death, Kimberly shared that her friends had launched a GoFundMe asking for donations to help her family cover the staggering cost of James' medical bills, admitting that she is currently "working hard to stay in their home."

The GoFundMe has thus far raised more than $1,503,000 out of its $1,500,000 goal.

At the time of his diagnosis, the actor told People that he had been dealing with his diagnosis "privately" with the support of his loved ones, explaining that he was "feeling good" despite his health struggles.

At the time, he lifted the lid on his cancer fight—while also recalling how he broke the news of his diagnosis to Kimberly and their six children: Olivia, 14, Joshua, 13, Annabel, 11, Emilia, 9, Gwendolyn, 7, and Jeremiah, 3.

The actor's diagnosis came 26 years after he first shot to fame while starring as the titular character in the hit series "Dawson's Creek," which ran from 1998 to 2003. James went on to star in a variety of other series, including "Varsity Blues" and "CSI: Cyber."

He played a fictionalized version of himself in the show "Don't Trust the B in Apartment 23."

The actor turned his back on the traditional A-lister lifestyle, eschewing the trappings of Los Angeles fame in favor of a quieter life in Texas.

The actor and his family moved to their Austin ranch in 2020 to find more "space" and a "connection to nature," something that he wanted his six children to experience away from the bright lights of Los Angeles.