James Van Der Beek’s longtime friend Mehcad Brooks has given an inside look at how the late actor coped with his death in his final moments.
“One of the greatest honors of my life was being able to be there every day for the last four or five days, holding his hand, praying with him, telling him jokes, telling him how much I love him, singing to him,” the “Fall from Grace” star said in an Instagram video on Wednesday.
“Literally, look at this guy handle death like a king. He handled transition like a king,” Brooks, 45, added.
The “Law & Order” alum said Van Der Beek’s death reminded him to “live your life and do what makes you happy.”
“Don’t worry about other people’s opinions. It doesn’t matter,” he said. “Everything you’re worried about right now doesn’t matter.
“We all know that. Sometimes we need a reminder,” Brooks added.
“I love you so much, brother. Hold your family tight. Hold your loved ones tight. Love your life. Let life love you back. Laugh when you can. Understand what’s important, embrace it, and hold on tight.”
Brooks captioned the video message: “Rest in peace brother King. @vanderjames.”
Van der Beek passed away on Wednesday after a battle with colorectal cancer. He was 48 years old.
The Varsity Blues star’s wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, released a heartbreaking statement on Instagram, saying James had “passed away peacefully.”
“He met his final days with courage, faith and grace,” she wrote.
“He has so much to share about his wishes, his love for humanity, and the sanctity of time. That day will come,” Kimberly added. “At this time we ask for peace and privacy as we grieve our beloved husband, father, son, brother and friend.”
Friends of James have set up a GoFundMe to help him, his six children, Kimberly, and their family with expenses after his death.
As of this article’s publication, the fundraiser has raised more than $1.2 million.
Last year, James, who had been battling stage 3 cancer since August 2023, put his personal “Dawson’s Creek” memorabilia up for auction to help fund his cancer treatment.
