Why James Van Der Beek Moved to Texas With Family Years Before Cancer

The energy was the same one he’d felt when filming 1999’s Varsity Blues in the city, noting, “It was really cool to realize, ‘Oh, I can go be there. We can drop in and bring our family to that.’”

And while he and Kimberly—who tied the knot in 2010—were grateful for their time in Los Angeles, they found a community in Austin that they hadn’t previously experienced. 

“In LA if you get sick, you get a Postmates delivery. If you want to move, you get a moving truck recommendation,” James said. “In Texas, somebody makes you something and brings it to your doorstep or you have five friends pulling up with their trucks to help you move.”

“It’s just a different way of life here,” he continued. “It’s not to say one is better than the other, but it’s that hands-on village lifestyle that I’ve been craving for so long.”

The move to Texas also came about during a challenging time for James and Kimberly. As the Dancing With the Stars alum shared on Instagram in October 2020, in addition to the COVID-19 pandemic, they had experienced a number of difficulties throughout the year. 

“In the last ten months, we’ve had two late-term pregnancy losses, each of which put @vanderkimberly in the hospital,” he wrote at the time. “We spent Christmas break thinking she had a tumor (the doctor was wrong, thank god), I was prematurely booted off a reality dancing show I was favored to win in front of the whole world, and my mom died.”

Amid all those challenges, the couple, who welcomed son in 2021, experienced “some drastic changes in our lives, and dreams, and priorities... and landed us here.”

More than five years later, James’ family confirmed he had died sharing in a Feb. 11 statement on social media, “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," his loved ones continued. "Those days will come. For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend."

For a look back at James’ life, keep reading.