{"id":10381,"date":"2026-02-24T18:45:56","date_gmt":"2026-02-24T18:45:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/strongermarriages\/?p=10381"},"modified":"2026-02-24T18:45:56","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T18:45:56","slug":"james-van-der-beek-and-wife-kimberly-renewed-vows-in-bedside-ceremony-days-before-his-death","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/strongermarriages\/2026\/02\/james-van-der-beek-and-wife-kimberly-renewed-vows-in-bedside-ceremony-days-before-his-death.html","title":{"rendered":"James Van Der Beek and Wife Kimberly Renewed Vows in Bedside Ceremony Days Before His Death"},"content":{"rendered":"
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@vanderjames \/ Instagram<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the final days of his life, actor James Van Der Beek shared one more sacred milestone with the woman he called his \u201cbest adventure partner.\u201d Just two days before his death at age 48, the Dawson\u2019s Creek star and his wife Kimberly renewed their wedding vows in an intimate ceremony held in their bedroom \u2014 a moment she now describes as both simple and profoundly moving.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur friends got us new rings, filled our bedroom with flowers and candles and we renewed our vows from bed,\u201d Kimberly told People. The ceremony came together quickly with the help of loved ones who gathered in person and over Zoom. Their friend Porangu\u00ed, a multi-instrumentalist, played what Kimberly called the \u201cmost beautiful music,\u201d closing the ceremony with \u201cSomewhere Over the Rainbow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was simple and beautiful and moving,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

The quiet vow renewal was a fitting reflection of a marriage that had endured both joy and deep hardship. James and Kimberly first met on a trip to Israel in 2009 and married a year later in Tel Aviv. Reflecting on their wedding years later, James recalled the spontaneity and spiritual sense of destiny that marked the day. Kimberly had dreamed of a man officiating their wedding on a specific date \u2014 and remarkably, he was available. \u201cWe rushed to get ready, had a bunch of people we didn\u2019t know (and a few we did) dance around us \u2026 then ate at an outdoor Lebanese dive with plastic tablecloths and chairs and amazing food,\u201d James wrote. \u201cWe\u2019ve gone through success, tragedy, joy, stress, triumph, uncertainty, and through it all \u2026 these have been the best years of my life. Every moment. Because I have the BEST adventure partner.\u201d<\/p>\n

Together, the couple built a large, faith-centered family, welcoming six children over the course of their marriage. In August 2023, James publicly shared that he had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Over the following year, he continued working on projects and even began a memoir, but his health declined. He died on Feb. 11.<\/p>\n

Announcing his passing, Kimberly emphasized the spiritual strength that defined his final season. \u201cHe met his final days with courage, faith and grace,\u201d she wrote on Instagram. \u201cThere is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. Those days will come.\u201d<\/p>\n

The couple\u2019s decision to renew their vows from bed speaks to the depth of their bond \u2014 a declaration that even as his body weakened, their covenant remained strong. For Kimberly, the ceremony created a sacred space of closure and devotion amid grief. For James, it appears to have been a final opportunity to reaffirm the promises that shaped his life\u2019s greatest love.<\/p>\n

In the weeks since his death, friends and fans have rallied around the family. A GoFundMe<\/a> created to help cover medical costs and provide stability for their children quickly surpassed its initial goal, with supporters noting that \u201cthe costs of James\u2019s medical care and the extended fight against cancer have left the family out of funds.\u201d The outpouring reflects the affection many felt for the actor known for his sincerity on and off screen.<\/p>\n

Tributes from former co-stars echoed that sentiment. Katie Holmes, who starred alongside him on “Dawson\u2019s Creek,” wrote, \u201cI am so grateful to have shared in a piece of James\u2019 journey. He is beloved.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yet perhaps the most powerful tribute is the one Kimberly shared: a bedside vow renewal filled with music, candlelight, and love. In those final days, the couple returned to the heart of their marriage \u2014 promises spoken not in a grand venue, but in the quiet sanctuary of their own room. It was, in every sense, a goodbye rooted in faith, devotion, and the sacredness of time they had shared.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In the final days of his life, actor James Van Der Beek shared one more sacred milestone with the woman he called his \u201cbest adventure partner.\u201d Just two days before his death at age 48, the Dawson\u2019s Creek star and his wife Kimberly renewed their wedding vows in an intimate ceremony held in their bedroom…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":462,"featured_media":10390,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10381","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nJames Van Der Beek and Wife Kimberly Renewed Vows in Bedside Ceremony Days Before His Death<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"James Van Der Beek renewed his wedding vows with wife Kimberly Van Der Beek just days before his death at age 48 on Feb. 11.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" 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