{"id":49618,"date":"2026-03-11T09:43:13","date_gmt":"2026-03-11T13:43:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/?p=49618"},"modified":"2026-03-11T09:43:13","modified_gmt":"2026-03-11T13:43:13","slug":"james-van-der-beeks-9-year-old-daughter-shares-touching-tribute-i-talk-to-my-dad-every-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2026\/03\/james-van-der-beeks-9-year-old-daughter-shares-touching-tribute-i-talk-to-my-dad-every-day.html","title":{"rendered":"James Van Der Beek’s 9-Year-Old Daughter Shares Touching Tribute: ‘I Talk to My Dad Every Day.’"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Left: @vanderkimberly \/ Instagram | Right: @vanderjames \/ Instagram<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A moving tribute from the young daughter of late actor James Van Der Beek is touching hearts online after she shared how she continues to honor her father’s memory and hold onto hope in the wake of his passing<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In a video shared on Instagram by her mother, Kimberly Van Der Beek, 9-year-old Emilia spoke candidly about grief and how she copes with the loss of her dad, who died on Feb. 11 at age 48 after a nearly three-year battle with stage 3 colorectal cancer.<\/p>\n

Introducing herself at the start of the video, Emilia explained she wanted to share advice with others who are grieving the loss of someone they love.<\/p>\n

“As you all probably know, my dad has passed away, but I’m just going to tell you little tips or anything that helps you getting through anybody you love passing,” she said.<\/p>\n

Her first piece of advice was simple but heartfelt: allow yourself to feel your emotions and talk to the person you’ve lost.<\/p>\n

“If you miss them, you can cry. You can talk to them. I talk to my dad every day,” she said. “I start with a sentence, and I say, ‘Hi, Dad. I miss you, and I love you so much, and I’ll never stop loving you.'”<\/p>\n

Emilia shared that she often tells her dad about her day and how she is feeling. Though she can’t hear him respond, she believes he can still hear her.<\/p>\n

“I know he can hear me, but I can’t hear him,” she said.<\/p>\n

The young girl also expressed her faith-filled belief that her father is now in Heaven and free from suffering.<\/p>\n

“He’s in a good place,” Emilia said. “He’s not in pain anymore, he’s in Heaven.”<\/p>\n

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A post shared by Kimberly Van Der Beek (@vanderkimberly)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n