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A GoFundMe was set up for James Van Der Beek’s family — ‘the extended fight against cancer have left the family out of funds’

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Actor James Van Der Beek’s wife, Kimberly, appears to have backed a GoFundMe in the wake of the “Dawson’s Creek” actor’s death on Wednesday from colorectal cancer.

The campaign — shared on both James and Kimberly’s Instagram stories — states the mother of the star’s six kids as the organizer.

The initiative, which had raised over $598,000 toward the 1 million target by 7:30 p.m., primarily called for donations to help cover 48-year-old Van Der Beek’s medical bills.

“In the wake of this loss, Kimberly and the children are facing an uncertain future,” the text of the GoFundMe said. “The costs of James’s medical care and the extended fight against cancer have left the family out of funds.”

It said the bereaved family is “working hard to stay in their home and to ensure the children can continue their education and maintain some stability during this incredibly difficult time.”

Van Der Beek’s wife announced his death on Instagram

The appeal went on to say that financial support from others would make a “world of difference” as Van Der Beek’s loved ones “navigate the road ahead.”

The money raised was said to help fund the family’s living expenses, pay bills, and support the kids’ education.

“Every donation, no matter the size, will help Kimberly and her family find hope and security as they rebuild their lives,” the GoFundMe said.

In her Instagram story, Kimberly wrote, “My friends created this link to support me and our children during this time. With gratitude and a broken heart.”


Kimberly and James Van Der Beek

Kimberly and James Van Der Beek on the red carpet.

Phillip Faraone/Getty Images



A spokesperson for GoFundMe told Business Insider, “We are working with the organizer to ensure funds safely reach the intended beneficiary.”

They added, “Funds are being held safely by our payment processor in the meantime.”

Kimberly announced her husband’s death on Instagram, saying, “Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning.

“He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace. There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity, and the sacredness of time. Those days will come.

“For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.”

2 months ago, the star said he felt ‘strong’

Van Der Beek received his cancer diagnosis three years ago. He made his final public appearance on NBC in December when he seemed optimistic about his health.

“I feel much, much better than I did a couple months ago,” Van Der Beek told interviewer Craig Melvin.

He added, “It’s been a longer journey than I ever thought it would be. It’s required more of me — more patience, more discipline, more strength than I knew I had. I knew I was strong — I didn’t know I was this strong.”

The same month, the 90s heartthrob auctioned off personal memorabilia from the filming of “Dawson’s Creek” to help his family and meet bills for his cancer treatment.




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A GoFundMe for laid-off Washington Post staffers crossed $130K in a few hours and drew a big donation from Kara Swisher

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Money is pouring in for workers impacted by Wednesday’s layoffs at The Washington Post.

As of writing, over 1,000 supporters had donated more than $130,000 combined to a GoFundMe page set up for let-go journalists.

The fundraising push, launched just a few hours after company executives began cutting workers, was set up by Post reporter Rachel Siegel and the newsroom’s union. Its top donor, tech journalist and former Post employee Kara Swisher, gave $10,000.

Swisher, who recently made a push to buy the Post from its billionaire owner, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, wrote on Threads that she had the means to “donate a decent chunk of dough to these hardworking employees,” and urged others to follow.

Other top donors appeared to be former Washington Post staffers, such as Eugene Robinson and Fred Barbash.

The Post’s haul, and the speed at which it drew in six figures, make it an outlier among media layoff fundraisers. Laid-off staffers at Vox Media pulled in about $7,000 in their January GoFundMe, while Teen Vogue got about $41,000 after November layoffs.

“Post Guild members have come together to support their colleagues with this GoFundMe,” said a spokesperson for the Washington Baltimore News Guild, which represents the paper’s union. The spokesperson blamed “inexcusable business decisions of top Post leadership” for the cuts.

“The Washington Post is taking a number of difficult but decisive actions today for our future, in what amounts to a significant restructuring across the company,” a Post spokesperson said in a statement on the layoffs. “These steps are designed to strengthen our footing and sharpen our focus on delivering the distinctive journalism that sets The Post apart and, most importantly, engages our customers.”

The Post’s layoffs, which its newsroom union said impacted hundreds of workers, were designed to trim costs and refocus its efforts around a smaller set of coverage areas, executive editor Matt Murray told employees over Zoom on Wednesday morning.

The company is shutting down its podcast, “Post Reports,” and letting go of journalists focused on sports, books, and foreign affairs. It’s restructuring its D.C. metro coverage, and investing in areas like politics and national security that “demonstrate authority, distinctiveness, and impact,” Murray wrote in a memo to staff, viewed by Business Insider.

“Today is about positioning ourselves to become more essential to people’s lives in what has become a more crowded, competitive, and complicated media landscape,” Murray told staffers during the call. “For too long, we’ve operated with a structure that’s too rooted in the days when we were a quasi-monopoly local newspaper.”




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