Just a month before his death, James Van Der Beek finalized the purchase of the 36-acre Texas ranch he had been renting with his family. The actor, 48, died Wednesday after a two-year battle with colorectal cancer.
Van Der Beek and his wife, Kimberly, moved from Los Angeles to Spicewood, Texas, in 2020. They initially leased the property before buying it for $4.76 million in an off-market deal on Jan. 9, via an LLC managed by a California attorney. The ranch includes a main house, guest cabins, a pool, and river views. In 2021, Van Der Beek called it “a magical place,” citing the move as a way to raise their six children closer to nature.
The family had endured hardship, including the loss of Van Der Beek’s mother in 2020 and Kimberly’s five miscarriages. He is survived by daughters Olivia, 15, Annabel, 12, Emilia, 9, Gwendolyn, 7, and sons Joshua, 13, and Jeremiah, 4.
Following his death, friends launched a GoFundMe for Kimberly and the children. Originally seeking $500,000, it has raised over $2.4 million, noting that medical costs from his cancer battle left the family financially strained.