James Van Der Beek’s Wife Reflects on Navigating Pregnancy Loss

Kimberly Van Der Beek is remembering the support she received from her late husband, James Van Der Beek, during the couple’s years of pregnancy loss. In an Instagram Stories post shared on Tuesday, June 9, Kimberly, 44, said she felt “blessed” to have been married to James and to have gone through pregnancy loss and parenthood with him. She also linked to a March 2023 episode of her podcast, “Bathroom Confidential,” in which James spoke openly about one of their most painful experiences.

The couple shared six children together: daughters Olivia, Annabel, Emilia and Gwendolyn, and sons Joshua and Jeremiah. Over the years, they also endured multiple miscarriages. In the podcast conversation, James described the emotional toll of a pregnancy loss that happened when the family believed everything was going well. He said the situation changed quickly, leading to panic and fear as he and Kimberly cried and faced a medical emergency.

James recalled realizing something was wrong when Kimberly said she “felt off.” He said she lay down in the shower and stopped responding, prompting him to call 911. He described being left at home with one of their children, a bathroom full of blood and the heartbreak of losing the pregnancy. He called it a devastating emotional blow.

The actor later spoke publicly about the loss during a live appearance on Dancing With the Stars season 28 in 2019. In a semi-finals broadcast, he told viewers that he and Kimberly had experienced “every expecting parent’s worst nightmare” after losing the baby. He said the experience brought the family closer together and deepened their appreciation for life and one another.

Kimberly has also spoken about the difficulty of the miscarriages. In a 2020 livestream, she said the losses were especially hard because she had previously delivered four children at home without complications. She explained that two of the miscarriages happened at 17 weeks and required hospitalization, with one nearly becoming fatal. She said she was informed shortly before the loss that the miscarriage would happen and later learned where the fetus would be buried. Kimberly added that the family named the two fetuses John and Zachariah and placed them in their mother plant.

Despite the pain, the couple continued expanding their family. Kimberly gave birth to their son Jeremiah in November 2021, completing what she later described as a rainbow baby journey after earlier losses.

James Van Der Beek died in February 2026 at age 48 after battling colorectal cancer. In the months after his death, Kimberly has continued sharing memories and reflections on grief, love and the family they built together. Her June 9 message highlighted the role James played during some of the hardest moments of her life and underscored the bond they shared through both heartbreak and parenthood.