Alfonso Ribeiro shared a photo of his final moments with James Van Der Beek before he passed away on Wednesday after a nearly three-year battle with colorectal cancer.
Ribeiro posted an intimate photo on Instagram Thursday of him cradling Van der Beek by his bedside. The “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” alum looked visibly emotional as he cradled Mr. van der Beek’s head.
Mr Ribeiro claimed the photo was taken by his wife Kimberly minutes before Mr Van der Beek said his “final goodbyes”.
“My last moment was to make him laugh one last time,” he wrote. “I really miss him already.”
She also posted a photo of the two of them when they were happy on her Instagram Stories, writing, “There was so much love in this friendship.”
In 2019, Van Der Beek competed on Season 28 of Dancing with the Stars, which Ribeiro co-hosts with Julianne Hough, alongside her professional dance partner Emma Slater.
Ribeiro previously said he was “devastated” by the death of his best friend and revealed he was godfather to Mr van der Beek’s seven-year-old daughter Gwendolyn.
“He was my true friend and guide in life. I went through this terrifying journey of overcoming cancer with him,” he wrote in a somber Instagram post.
He said he learned a lot from his late friend and that James and Kimberly changed his life.
“I will forever be in debt for everything they have given me and my family,” he wrote. “He will live forever in my heart. I will always be there for their children. I will always hold my role as Gwen’s father to Goddy as one of the most important roles in my life.”
“I love James and know that I have a guardian angel watching over me. Being able to say goodbye this weekend will always stay with me. Rest in peace my brother.”
Kimberly shared on Instagram that her husband “passed away peacefully” on Wednesday morning and “met his final days with courage, faith, and grace.”
Since then, support has been pouring in for the “Dawson’s Creek” alum.
A GoFundMe has been set up by Kimberly’s friends to support her and her six children (Gwendolyn, Olivia, 14, Joshua, 13, Annabelle, 12, Emilia, 8, and Jeremiah, 3) and has already raised more than $1 million.
The GoFundMe page says James’ family is “out of funds” due to bills related to his illness and faces an “uncertain future.”
Celebrity donors include Zoe Saldana, who has set up a recurring monthly donation of $2,500, as well as Derek Hough, Ricki Lake, Lydia Hearst, Kaley Cuoco and more.
James’ close friends have also publicly shared their heartbreaking final moments with James, including former WWE star Stacey Keibler, who posted a photo of the two enjoying a sunset. In the photo, James looked sickly and was sitting in a wheelchair.
“Spending these last days with you was a true gift from God,” Keebler wrote in part. “I have never felt more present in my life.”
“The other night, we watched the sunset together and shared wisdom, hopes, and promises with each other,” she continued.
“Maybe the lesson you left us is this: This moment is everything. Love the people in front of you. Say the word. Watch the sunset. Trust God even if you don’t understand.”
