The family of James Van Der Beek gathered online to honor the late actor on what would have been his 49th birthday, marking the first time the day has arrived since his death earlier this year at age 48 following a battle with stage-3 colorectal cancer.

His wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, shared a series of deeply personal tributes on social media, beginning with a photograph of the couple and a short message expressing how profoundly she still feels his absence. “Would be your 49th birthday today. And I’m missing you tremendously,” she wrote, before posting additional images and videos of the actor spending time with their six children on the family’s Texas ranch.

The posts highlighted moments that reflected the quieter side of Van Der Beek’s life away from Hollywood — working outdoors, enjoying time with his family, and embracing the rural lifestyle the couple adopted after moving from Los Angeles to Texas. In one caption addressing her late husband directly, Kimberly described him as “the best humanity had to offer,” adding that the loss remains something she still struggles to process.

Later in the day, Kimberly shared an emotional video created by their 9-year-old daughter Emilia, who asked if she could record a message to mark her father’s birthday. The young girl spoke openly about grief and how she continues to cope with the loss by talking to her father every day, explaining that sharing her feelings helps her keep his memory close.

In the heartfelt video, Emilia offered advice to others experiencing similar loss, encouraging people to express their emotions freely and hold on to meaningful reminders of loved ones who have passed. She said she believes her father is now in “a good place,” adding that he had taught her to believe in miracles even when life does not unfold the way people hope.

Van Der Beek, best known for his breakout role as Dawson Leery in the television series Dawson’s Creek, is survived by Kimberly and their six children: Olivia, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn, Joshua, and Jeremiah.

The family has said that March 8 will now remain a permanent day of remembrance for them, a time to celebrate the actor’s life and the role he played as a husband, father, and friend. For many fans who grew up watching his career unfold on screen, the tributes offered a deeply personal glimpse into the legacy he left behind — not only as an actor but as the center of a close-knit family still learning how to move forward without him.