Grief can be hard to put into words, especially for a child. But in a touching video shared on what would have been James Van Der Beek’s 49th birthday, the actor’s 9-year-old daughter offered a heartfelt message about love, loss, and remembering the dad who meant the world to her.
James Van Der Beek was best known to millions of fans as Dawson Leery on the hit series Dawson’s Creek, a role that helped define late-1990s television. Over the years, he appeared in numerous films and television shows, but beyond his work on screen he was also known as a devoted husband and father.
The actor shared six children with his wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, and often spoke publicly about how much his family meant to him. When he died of cancer on Feb. 11, 2026, the loss was felt not only by fans around the world but most deeply by the loved ones who knew him best.
As the family continued to process the loss, they found a meaningful way to mark an important date.
A daughter’s message about grief
“Emilia asked me if she could make a video to post today, walked outside and came back with this,” Kimberly captioned an Instagram post on March 8 – the day Van Der Beek would have celebrated his 49th birthday.
In the heartwarming video, the couple’s fourth child Emilia, who turns 10 on March 23, introduces herself and explains why she wanted to speak with viewers.
“As you all know, probably know, my dad has passed away, but I’m just going to tell you little tips or anything that helps you getting through anybody you love passing,” Emilia said. “Today is my dad’s birthday and the number one thing about somebody’s passing is to talk to them and let your emotions out.”
“I talk to my dad every day”
Emilia, little sister to Olivia, 15, Joshua, 13, and Annabel, 12, then shared the simple but powerful habit that has helped her cope with losing her father.
“If you miss them, you can cry. You can talk to them. I talk to my dad every day. 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,’” she said.
“And I just tell him about my day, how I’m feeling and I tell my family how I’m doing. And I know he can hear me, but I can’t hear him.”
Finding comfort
Throughout the video, Emilia also shared the perspective that has helped her make sense of grief.
She reminded viewers to “feel them in your heart” because they’re “part of your body,” while also reflecting on the belief that her father is now “not in pain anymore, he’s in Heaven.”
Emilia went on to talk about the different emotions that often come with loss, explaining that it’s okay to feel happiness, because the person – or “dog” – you love is “in a good place.” At the same time, she said it’s natural to feel sadness “because you miss them,” or even anger.
The little girl, wise beyond her years, also spoke about how people experience grief in different ways.
“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,” said Emilia, who then admitted that she “stole” a special item that Van Der Beek once wore.
“My dad’s hat smells like him, and I love it so much,” said Emilia, whose younger siblings are Gwendolyn, 7, and Jeremiah, 4.
‘Holy moly’
Near the end of the video, Emilia also thanked the many people who had shown support to her family.
“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,” she said.
She also expressed gratitude to those who donated to a GoFundMe organized by family friends.
“Thank you so much. I checked it, holy moly. Thank you so much, I am blown away,” she said of the fundraiser, which has raised close to $2.8 million since it was created almost one month ago.
Kimberly’s birthday promise
When sharing the video, Kimberly also posted a message reflecting on the memories she continues to hold close.
“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,” she wrote. “Thank you for the tremendous heart, love and support for the family.”
She also included a message directly to her late husband.
“James…We will celebrate March 8th every day for the rest of our lives.”
What do you think of Emilia’s touching message about her dad? Share your thoughts in the comments and pass this story along so others can see her beautiful tribute.
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