Celebrity News March 09, 2026
James Van Der Beek’s Daughter Emilia Shares Her Grief in Heartbreaking Video
Instagram
Nearly a month after James Van Der Beek’s death, his daughter Emilia remembered him on his birthday.
In an Instagram video posted by James’ wife Kimberly, Emilia gave “little tips” for those who are mourning someone they lost.
She said, "So today is my dad's birthday, and the number one thing for somebody's passing is to talk to them and let your emotions out. If you miss them, you can cry. You can talk to them. I talk to my dad every day. I start with a sentence, and I say, 'Hi, Dad. I miss you and I love you so much, and I'll never stop loving you.’"
"I just tell him about my day, how I'm feeling, and I told my family how I'm feeling. And I know he can hear me, but I can't hear him,” Emilia went on.
As for how she faces her grief, Emilia explained, "You have to feel them in your heart, because they're in your heart. They're watching over you. They're a part of your body and in a good place.”
"I know that my dad's in a good place,” Emilia emphasized. "He's not in pain anymore. He's in heaven above the clouds with God and the Lord.”
Emilia pointed out that one can “be happy they’re in a good place” but also “sad because you miss them.”
She elaborated, "Everybody has different emotions in their body, and they express it in different ways. Many, many different ways. And don't let anybody tell you that. Be like, 'No, you don't know how I feel.”
Emilia recalled a conversation she had with James, saying, "Something my dad told me was if this doesn't work out the way he wanted it to and the way we wanted it to for him living, I still have to believe in miracles. Miracles can still happen, just later on in life, and they'll keep coming.”
Showing some love for those who donated to her family’s GoFundMe page, she said, "I know that he was a good man. A lot of people loved him, and people prayed for him, and he was loved by... many, many people.”
Emilia revealed that she “stole” James’ hat to help her remember him. She shared, "My dad's hat smells like him, and I love it so much.”
In February, James died at the age of 48. At the time of his death, James had been fighting colorectal cancer for more than a year.
