People, Positions and Obituaries · 13 February 2026

James Van Der Beek dies at 48 after colorectal cancer diagnosis.

Exam-focused facts from the 13 February 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

  • James Van Der Beek passed away at the age of 48, as confirmed by his publicist Whitney Tancred and announced by his wife Kimberly on Instagram.
  • He was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in November 2024 and had auctioned career items to help pay for treatment.
  • Van Der Beek rose to fame as Dawson Leery on 'Dawson's Creek' (1998–2003) and starred in the 1999 film 'Varsity Blues'.
  • He married Kimberly Brook in 2010 and they have six children together.
  • An online fundraiser had pledged almost $1.3 million to his family as of Thursday morning.

View this story in the full daily briefing

Earlier coverage selected by topic similarity to help connect developments over time.

Gil Gerard died at 82

Gil Gerard played television’s sci-fi hero William “Buck” Rogers in NBC’s “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.” He died in hospice as a result of a rare, aggressive form of cancer.