�Dawson�s Creek� alum James Van Der Beek got emotional talking about his
cancer battle as he praised his wife for her amazing support after he
recently revealed the stage 3 colorectal cancer diagnosis he received in
August 2023.
During his appearance on �Good Morning America� on Tuesday, the 47-year-old
actor said physically he�s great and feeling good, but emotionally, �it�s a
lot. It�s really a ride.�
�I was honestly in shock � I had a whole agenda for what I thought my year
would be and what I thought my priorities would be � the reality that all of
that was going to change and take a different trajectory � it felt like a
nightmare honestly at first that I couldn�t quite wake up from,� Van Der Beek
said, but admitted he�s since seen there�s a reason for this.
�As soon as I got diagnosed, I knew this is going to add many happy years to
my life,� he added.
�I�m going to make changes that I never would have made otherwise, that I�m
gonna look back on in thirty years and say, �Thank God this happened.� So
what can I do right now in order to make that the case. And that�s how I was
about 90% of the time. I would say that about 10% of the time I was a
sobbing, terrified mess.�
James Van Der Beek Tears Up Sharing Health Update After Colorectal
Cancer Diagnosis: �Emotionally, It�s a Lot�
https://t.co/wfCB0ue3sT � People (@people) December 3, 2024
The actor then credited his wife Kimberley for being his rock through the
last year as he got choked up talking about her.
�She�s been amazing,� Van Der Beek said. �She�s really taught me what
unconditional love is.�
�I�m someone who has always in the past tried to do everything for everybody
and never asked for help myself and this has put me in a position of having
to ask for help, but having to receive help,� he added. �And the beautiful
blessing of that has been seeing how many people in my life have shown up.�
Earlier this month, the �Varsity Blues� actor spoke with People magazine
after news surfaced of his cancer diagnosis.
�I have colorectal cancer. I�ve been privately dealing with this diagnosis
and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible
family,� Van Der Beek told the outlet.
�There�s reason for optimism, and I�m feeling good,� he added.
The actor previously made headlines when he gushed about the decision they
made to move their family out of Los Angeles for Texas. James and Kimberley
share six kids: Olivia, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn, Joshua, and Jeremiah.
�I know for me, it�s been really centering and I feel like for the kids, it�s
been grounding, and a different kind of education that we never could have
offered them in a classroom,� Van Der Beek said.
�Just the things that we�re all aware of, like what phase the moon is in
because we come out, we look at it,� he added. �I feel like we have a
relationship with these natural cycles that are happening.�
-- Let's go Brandon!
James Van Der Beek Gets Emotional About Cancer Battle, Praises Wife