James Van Der Beek’s ex-wife, Heather McComb, says the late Dawson’s Creek actor shared his support for her new marriage before his death earlier this year.
Reports surfaced last week that Van Der Beek’s ex-wife had gotten married, causing some to mistakenly believe that the actor’s second wife and widow, Kimberley, had remarried months after his death.
Van Der Beek, who died at 48 in February from colorectal cancer, was married to Party of Five actor McComb from 2003 to 2010. He married Kimberly the same year his divorce from McComb was finalized and they went on to have six children together.
On May 30, McComb announced she had tied the knot with fellow actor Scott Michael Campbell.
In a new interview with Us Weekly, McComb said Van Der Beek and Kimberly gave her new marriage their blessing.
“I will share one thing [about our last encounter] because I think it’s beautiful,” McComb told the outlet. “James and Kimberly both knew that Scott and I were getting married and they both were so full of love and support and excitement.”
“Just to have his blessing on this marriage was something that I will always hold in my heart,” she said. “I think that when I look back, that is really what I hold in my heart — is just how he loved [others] was a beautiful thing. How he loved everybody in his life, especially Kimberly and those beautiful kids.”
She added, “I know that James would want me to celebrate our love, just like he celebrated the love that he had for Kimberly, which was so beautiful.”
McComb shared a tribute to Van Der Beek shortly after his death. “What a journey we shared over the years. I sit here in immense gratitude for the special connection, friendship and love that James and I shared that has endured through decades,” she wrote.
“James was a beautiful soul filled with so much light, love, talent, humor, depth, sensitivity, knowledge and a deep love of God that shined through him. He shined so bright yet was so humble and human,” she continued. “Always searching, always growing, always going deeper, always chasing things outside his comfort zone.”
Last month, Kimberely shared a poignant update on her well-being with her followers on Instagram.
“Sharing photographs of her husband with their children, she wrote: “Yesterday was three months since we lost @vanderjames. To say I’m heartbroken is a severe understatement. Words just don’t capture what grief is.
“The comforts of shock have worn off. The reality is settling in… and I miss him. We all miss him. Yet, there is a different kind of magic in the air. I feel him. I know him more deeply. My conscious connection to God has deepened. The veils of the universe have thinned. And I trust that this is the path me and my family have always been intended to walk.”
Van Der Beek gained widespread recognition as Dawson Leery in the teen drama Dawson’s Creek, which ran for six seasons from 1998 to 2003. The show, which also featured Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson, and Michelle Williams, followed four hyper-articulate teenagers embroiled in complex romantic entanglements.
