James Van Der Beek’s death hit the entertainment industry hard. Best known as Dawson Leery from the ‘90s hit series ‘Dawson’s Creek’, he passed away on February 11, 2026, at just 48, after a long, public fight with stage 3 colorectal cancer. Fans, friends, and colleagues all felt the loss.Paula Cole, whose song ‘I Don’t Want to Wait’ is forever tied to ‘Dawson’s Creek’, recently paid tribute to the late star via social media.
Paula Cole’s tributeIn her Instagram post, Cole called James “a wise, loving, and gentle soul” in an Instagram post. “I’m grieving for the loss of such a beautiful person in our world, such a father to his family and husband to @vanderkimberly,” she wrote, posting photos of James with his kids.For the unversed, Paula Cole recorded the show’s theme song before Dawson’s Creek even aired back in January 1998. Years later, in September 2025, the cast reunited in New York for an event supporting F Cancer and James himself, who was still fighting. Cole wanted to be there, but she couldn’t make it. Her mother was in hospice care at the time.“I wish I could have attended the fundraising event in NYC in the Fall, and to have met up with so many of the @dawsonscreek_official family, but my Mom has been in hospice,” Cole shared. “Please know I am here in shared sadness and love for his family.”Cole also urged fans to keep supporting the GoFundMe campaign for the Van Der Beek family during this tough stretch.James Van Der Beek: An untimely demise of a beloved starJames Van Der Beek really made his mark as Dawson in ‘Dawson’s Creek’ — an earnest, a little awkward, and relatable. The show stuck with people. After ‘Dawson’s Creek’, he took on all sorts of roles, from ‘Varsity Blues’ to poking fun at himself in ‘Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23’.In August 2023, James found out he had stage 3 colorectal cancer. He kept it private at first, but later revealed his diagnosis in November 2024. Throughout his journey, Van Der Beek shared his experience, he fought, and he tried every option for care. Near the end, he even auctioned off memorabilia from ‘Dawson’s Creek’ and ‘Varsity Blues’ in late 2025 to help cover the mounting medical bills.The star passed away on February 11.Per People, his wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, broke the news, stating that the “loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend,” passed away surrounded by his family at home.
