James Van Der Beek’s daughter has shared a personal message about grief on what would have been the actor’s 49th birthday, nearly a month after his death.
Emilia Van Der Beek, 10, asked her mother, Kimberly Van Der Beek, to post a video message on Instagram reflecting on the loss of her father, the Dawson’s Creek actor who died from colorectal cancer.
In the video, Emilia spoke about how she continues to cope with grief and maintain a connection with her father through daily conversations.
“Today is my dad’s birthday,” she said. “The most important thing when someone passes is to talk to them and express your emotions. It’s okay to cry if you miss them.”
She explained that she speaks to her father each day, sharing updates about her life and feelings.
“I talk to my dad every day,” Emilia said. “I start with, ‘Hi, Dad. I miss you, and I love you so much, and I’ll never stop loving you.’ I tell him about my day and my feelings.”
Emilia also spoke about the importance of allowing space for different emotions while grieving.
“It’s important to cry,” she said. “Be happy they’re in a better place, but it’s okay to be sad because you miss them. You can feel angry too, but don’t blame yourself.”
She noted that grief can be different for everyone and acknowledged that it can be difficult when others say they understand exactly how she feels.
In the video, Emilia said she believes her father is watching over her and is no longer experiencing the pain he endured during his illness.
Reflecting on lessons she learned from him, she said her father encouraged her to keep believing in hope and possibility.
“My dad taught me that even if things don’t work out the way we hoped, we should still believe in miracles,” she said.
During the message, Emilia said she was wearing one of her father’s hats because it still carried a familiar scent.
She also expressed gratitude to people who supported the family after his death, including those who contributed to a GoFundMe campaign created in his memory.
James Van Der Beek and his wife Kimberly share six children together: daughters Olivia, Annabel, Emilia and Gwendolyn, and sons Joshua and Jeremiah.
