James Van Der Beek's Daughter Shares Emotional Tribute on Late Father's Birthday
Emilia Van Der Beek, the nine-year-old daughter of the late actor James Van Der Beek, has publicly opened up about her struggles with grief following her father's death last month. In a deeply personal video posted on Sunday, March 8, Emilia shared a heartfelt tribute to mark what would have been the Dawson's Creek star's 49th birthday.
A Young Daughter's Public Expression of Loss
In the Instagram post, which marked her father's first posthumous birthday, Emilia directly addressed her feelings about his passing. "I know that my dad's in a good place. He's not in pain anymore," she said in the emotional recording. James Van Der Beek died at age 48 on February 11 at his home in Austin, Texas, after battling cancer. The actor had revealed in late 2024 that he had been diagnosed with cancer following a routine colonoscopy one year earlier.
Kimberly Van Der Beek, who was married to the actor since 2010 and shared six children with him, posted her daughter's video alongside a lengthy caption. This came after she shared her own birthday tribute to her late husband on the same day. "Emilia asked me if she could make a video to post today, walked outside and came back with this," Kimberly wrote.
Practical Advice for Processing Grief
In the self-taped video, Emilia offered what she called "little tips" to help others who have lost loved ones. "So today is my dad's birthday, and the number one thing for somebody's passing is to talk to them and let your emotions out," she advised. "If you miss them, you can cry. You can talk to them. I talk to my dad every day."
The young girl described her daily routine of communication with her father: "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.' I just tell him about my day, how I'm feeling, and I told my family how I'm feeling. And I know he can hear me, but I can't hear him."
Finding Comfort in Memories and Faith
Emilia explained her approach to processing grief, saying: "You have to feel them in your heart, because they're in your heart. They're watching over you. They're a part of your body and in a good place. I know that my dad's in a good place. He's not in pain anymore. He's in heaven above the clouds with God and the Lord."
She acknowledged the complexity of emotions that accompany loss, stating: "It is okay to 'be happy they're in a good place' but still 'be sad because you miss them.' Everybody has different emotions in their body, and they express it in different ways. Many, many different ways. And don't let anybody tell you that. Be like, 'No, you don't know how I feel.'"
Personal Mementos and Family Wisdom
The video showed Emilia wearing an oversized trucker cap that she explained she had "stolen" from her father to remember him. "My dad's hat smells like him, and I love it so much," she shared. "I know that he was a good man. A lot of people loved him, and people prayed for him, and he was loved by ... many, many people."
Emilia also recalled advice her father once gave her: "Something my dad told me was if this doesn't work out the way he wanted it to and the way we wanted it to for him living, I still have to believe in miracles. Miracles can still happen, just later on in life, and they'll keep coming."
Family Support and Public Response
Kimberly Van Der Beek expressed her own emotions in the caption accompanying her daughter's video, writing: "In my stories are a whole lot of photos and some videos. All I want to do is watch videos of him right now with the kids. Thank you for the tremendous heart, love and support for the family." She added emojis of a pink heart and a teary-eyed smile as she addressed her late husband directly: "James... We will celebrate March 8th every day for the rest of our lives."
Emilia is the fourth of six children that James Van Der Beek welcomed with Kimberly during their marriage. The couple's other children are Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Gwendolyn, and Jeremiah. In her video, Emilia also gave a shoutout to supporters who donated to the GoFundMe campaign established to support her family following her father's passing.
The public expression of grief from such a young family member has resonated widely, offering both a poignant reminder of James Van Der Beek's legacy and insight into how children process significant loss. The video stands as a testament to the actor's impact on his family and the ongoing journey of healing for those he left behind.
