James Van Der Beek & His Wife Once ‘Lost a Baby’ — A Look Back at Their Family Life With Six Blonde Kids

The "Varsity Blues" star and his wife faced loss more than once and stood by each other through every heartbreak.

James and Kimberly Van Der Beek have been open about their experiences with pregnancy loss. On one occasion, they lost a baby while James was in the middle of participating in a reality show. The couple leaned on each other for support and found the strength to carry on.

Six Blond Angels and a Father's Fierce Devotion

James and Kimberly are proud parents of six children: Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn, and Jeremiah. The kids share some of their parents' features, including their mother's blonde hair, giving the family a strikingly similar appearance.

The actor cherished being a father and expressed this love in an emotional Instagram post on Father's Day in 2025. He wrote, "Being a father has been the most treasured honor of my life. Thank you to my kids for re-teaching me how to live, laugh, love, and show up in my own life and in the world."

James also expressed deep appreciation for his wife, his partner in raising their beloved children. He penned, "And thank you to my super hero of a wife @vanderkimberly who constantly exceeds the boundaries of what I thought was human capacity. I love you all with all my heart."

The actor's Father's Day post drew a flood of fan comments, with many noting the striking resemblance between Kimberly and their eldest daughter, Olivia. One wrote, "Wow, she is your wife's twin! ❤️."

Another chimed in, "Wow! Your oldest daughter looks just like @vanderkimberly. Beautiful like her momma." Several others joined in celebrating the family, "Happy Father's Day! And wow does your oldest daughter look like her mama ❤️."

The Private Pain Behind the Smiles

The actor and his wife were vocal about their journey through parenthood, including the challenges and heartbreaks, such as pregnancy losses. In 2019, James shared a heartfelt message on Instagram about the pain of experiencing his wife's three miscarriages.

He made the post while announcing that Kimberly was pregnant with their sixth child. For this pregnancy, they chose to film the first ultrasound with the "Dancing with the Stars" crew, something they had never done before.

He reflected on their past struggles, "I have been through three of those first appointments to discover either no heartbeat, or no baby, and she wanted to share this moment."

The actor went on to say, "Miscarriage (a word that needs a replacement - nobody failed to 'carry,' these things sometimes just happen) is something that people rarely talk about, and often go through in secret."

He emphasized that there should be no shame in it or in allowing oneself the time and space to grieve. The couple chose to share their experience publicly — without knowing what to expect — in an effort to break down the stigma around pregnancy loss.

They also wanted to encourage others going through similar experiences to accept love and support from friends and family. For them, this time, the experience ended with tears of joy.

A Brutal, Very Public Miscarriage and Another Devastating Blow

Tragically, after their first ultrasound in October 2019, Kimberly lost the baby the following month. They described the loss as a "brutal, very public miscarriage." James, still competing on "Dancing with the Stars," shared the heartbreaking news just before being eliminated in the semifinals.

The couple became pregnant again but chose to keep the news private. Unfortunately, in June 2020, they experienced another loss. The actor once again opened up on Instagram, "17 weeks in... the soul we'd been excited to welcome into the world had lessons for our family that did not include joining us in a living physical body."

James recounted that they had rushed Kimberly to the hospital by ambulance for another frightening night of blood transfusions. While he was grateful for the medical team navigating the complex procedures to save her life, he felt largely helpless.

The actor was only able to massage his wife's feet and keep her warm with his "Dancing with the Stars" robe. The experience reinforced a powerful realization for him — the importance of taking better care of one another. James also reminded families who have faced similar struggles that they are not alone.

A Family Left Grieving a Devoted Dad

James and Kimberly had weathered loss together, and now Kimberly faces life without her partner. On February 11, his loved ones shared the news of his passing in an emotional Instagram post, announcing that he had died at the age of 48.

They wrote, "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."

Fans shared heartfelt reactions after James's death was announced. One wrote, "Breaks my heart to know that these kids are without a dad now. May God bless them with the strength and guidance that they need to move forward and become something special in their own lives."

Another person expressed their grief, "This makes me cry... what a wonderful dad and sad he had to leave them behind." Some chose to celebrate his family, with one noting, "You have the most beautiful children!"

The Van Der Beek children are now without a father who deeply loved and cherished them. He willingly put aside personal time when they were born, embracing the changes that came with parenthood.

James also naturally took on the responsibilities the role required. With his demise, the kids will always carry with them the treasured memories they shared with their dad.

Final Days Remembered Through Emotional Tributes from Close Friends

As we previously reported, members of James's close circle will also miss him dearly. They recently posted personal photos from his final days. Former WWE star Stacy Keibler said she visited him shortly before he died and shared a photo from that visit on Instagram.

In the image, the actor is seated in a wheelchair and looks noticeably weak, while Stacy crouches beside him as they take in a sunset together. Stacy wrote in the caption, "Spending these final days with you has been a true gift from God.
I have never been so present in my life."

She continued, "When you know time is sacred, you don't waste a single breath. You don't rush. You don't scroll. You don't worry about tomorrow. You sit. You listen. You hold hands. You watch the sky change colors, and you let it change you too."

The athlete shared that spending the final days with James taught her more about staying present than any book had. She added that he showed what it means to trust God’s plan, even in moments that break your heart — especially when they do.

Stacy also penned, "The other night we watched the sunset together as you shared your wisdom, your hopes, and the promises we made to each other. We talked about how this world can feel upside down…and how maybe heaven needs your spirit now to help steady us down here. And just as the sun slipped away, a shooting star crossed the sky…as if to remind us that none of this is random."

She also praised her late friend, describing him as an "incredible husband" to his wife and an "extraordinary dad" to their children, even during his long cancer battle.

Stacy shared that it was remarkable how he kept fighting for so long, traveled while facing so much, and still carried himself with the same charm, noting that his smile never faded. She added that he gave the world many gifts and that his presence had been a bright light in her life and in the lives of many others.

She said that although he is no longer here physically, she believes his spirit is continuing to do meaningful things and that she can already feel it. Stacy noted that while he is gone from earth, something extraordinary was gained in heaven.

She shared that sunsets and rainbows will now remind her of him, saying she will see those moments as signs that he is still there.

The athlete concluded, "And maybe the lesson you leave us with is this: The present moment is everything. 
Love the people in front of you. 
Say the words.
 Watch the sunset.
 Trust God, even when you don't understand. Thank you for changing me. 
I will carry you with me. Always 🤍."

Designer Erin Fetherston also shared in an emotional Instagram post that she had been by the actor's side during his final days.

Erin shared a carousel of pictures, with one touching slide showing James in bed as she stood over him and held his hand. She penned, "Brother James, You were loved by the whole world, but to us — you were Uncle James. Thank you for your friendship. For always showing up. For being the one who would go the extra mile."

Erin revealed that when their dog died in the middle of the night, it was the actor who came over to help bury it. She added that when her children were born, he and Kimberly were the very first to visit, saying he did not just celebrate their life milestones — he was part of them.

She wrapped up with intense emotion, "What an honor it was to have a seat at your table and to call you a best friend. The space you leave behind can never be filled, but we will do our best to shower your beautiful family with love and remember to keep dancing in your honor — because you always knew the importance of joy. We love you. Always. 🤍."

The heartfelt tributes shared by James Van Der Beek's friends moved fans online, who responded with emotional reactions. One early comment captured the shock many felt, "Tragic to loose [sic] a life at such a young age 💔." Another viewer focused on the emotional weight of the moment, writing, "This is making me cry. So beautiful."

Among the stream of tributes, one note balanced admiration with sorrow, reading, "Oh, this is beautiful and heartbreaking 💔."

Community Rallies to Support His Family

Meanwhile, a friend of the family set up a GoFundMe after the family faced emotional and heavy financial strain while supporting James through his illness. In the aftermath of his death, his wife, Kimberly, and the children are dealing with an uncertain future.

They had medical bills and cancer treatment costs to deal with, leaving their finances depleted as they tried to remain in their home and keep the children's education stable. The fundraiser aims to help cover basic living expenses, bills, and school costs as the family rebuilds. By publication time, it had raised $1,164,547 toward its $1.3 million goal.

The outpouring of support and heartfelt messages highlights that James will be remembered not just for his impact on the entertainment world but even more for his kindness, love, and devotion to friends and family.