James Van Der Beek may not have been able to make it to the highly anticipated Dawson’s Creek cast reunion, but his wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, made sure his presence was felt in every way.
On September 22, the beloved teen drama’s stars gathered at the Richard Rodgers Theater in New York City for a live reading of the pilot episode. The event doubled as a fundraiser for the nonprofit F Cancer. While James was unable to attend due to contracting two stomach viruses amid his battle with colorectal cancer, Kimberly brought their children along to represent him — and she called the experience a “gift.”
“This night was so special to the whole family,” Kimberly shared on her Instagram Story after the event. “And more importantly, feeling my husband fill the entire theater, and the love for him.”
Though James wasn’t there in person, Kimberly revealed she recapped every moment for him over the phone afterward, describing the evening as one they’ll “be unwinding for a while.” She also expressed her gratitude to his former co-stars for their unwavering support.
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“The entire cast has been beyond words,” she said. “Words will never do justice for their support.”
Kimberly gave a special shout-out to Michelle Williams, who she praised as the “brainchild of this night.” She also thanked Michelle’s husband, Hamilton director Thomas Kail, for going above and beyond for the Van Der Beek family, saying he made “so many of the kids’ dreams come true” and calling him and Michelle “angel humans.”
Thomas played a major role in making the evening possible, not only securing the iconic Broadway venue but also enlisting Lin-Manuel Miranda to step in for James during the live reading. Kimberly later left a heartfelt comment under Lin’s own post about the night, writing, “You. If it was to be anybody, it had to be you. Thank you 
.”
A post shared by Kimberly Van Der Beek (@vanderkimberly)
As for James, he still found a way to connect with the fans who’ve supported him for decades. In a heartfelt video message recorded from home, he admitted, “I can’t believe I’m not there. I can’t believe I don’t get to see my cast mates, my beautiful cast, in person. I wanted to stand on this stage and thank every single person in this theater for being here tonight.”
Despite his absence, James made sure his love reached the crowd, telling fans, “You are the best fans in the world.”
For Kimberly, though, one thing was clear at the end of the night: she’s eager to be back by her husband’s side. “It was a beautiful night,” she said. “And I miss my husband. I can’t wait to go see him tomorrow.”
