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James Van Der Beek’s GoFundMe Causes Uproar

   February 27, 2026  Posted in Money, News

22, 2026 6:30 pm EST

Late actor James Van Der Beek at the premiere of Overcompensating Kevin Winter/Getty Images

The tragic passing of actor James Van Der Beek (best known for his leading role in the hit series “Dawson’s Creek”) on February 11, 2026, at age 48 due to colorectal cancer triggered a global outpouring of tributes to the late star’s memory and condolences for his family. However, the nice comments quickly turned to criticism when it was revealed a GoFundMe account had been set up for Van Der Beek’s widow, with some taking to social media to call the move pathetic, greedy, and similar to Erika Jayne’s controversial crowdfunding tactics. As of February 19, 2026, the fundraiser account has raised $2,700,000, far exceeding its set goal of $1,500,000.

It’s not unusual for families to set up crowdfunding campaigns, and Van Der Beek’s supporters have explained that the GoFundMe was created due to the actor’s finances declining later in life. Some have also pointed out that using GoFundMe to help cover medical expenses has become common practice in the United States for many families. Even so, others have highlighted the family’s relatively lavish lifestyle, recent property purchases, and the excessive amount of funds raised as the real reasons for the backlash.

The Van Der Beeks’ lifestyle expenses have been called into question

James Van Der Beek and wife Kimberly at a TV show premiere event. Daniel Zuchnik/Getty Images

The Van Der Beek GoFundMe account states the money is intended to help the actor’s family stay in their home after they “faced not only emotional challenges but also significant financial strain” while navigating the actor’s cancer treatment. Van Der Beek publicly revealed his diagnosis in 2024.

Though some critics have called out the Van Der Beeks as anti-vaxxers (after reports of Kimberly Van Der Beek posting vaccine-related medical misinformation in 2022), the main focal point of the condemnation is the family’s lifestyle expenses. The campaign says donations “will help cover essential living expenses, pay bills, and support the children’s education,” but reports revealed that the family purchased a $4.8 million ranch just a month before the actor’s death. A social media user echoed responses seen across the internet when they wrote, “My step dad has got terminal cancer and doesn’t have a $4 million house to sell.“

Others have accused the family of living beyond their means in general and pointed out that the GoFundMe campaign appears to have been started by Kimberly Van Der Beek herself, contrasting reports that it was launched by friends. Nevertheless, not all responses have been negative. Some social media posts and opinion pieces have defended Van Der Beek’s widow as now having six children to care for on her own, while various news articles have detailed the late actor’s financial troubles (including not getting residuals from “Dawson’s Creek”) in recent years.

The amount Van Der Beeks’ GoFundMe collected has raised eyebrows

Actor James Van Der Beek seen in public in 2017. Ray Tamarra/Getty Images

As stated earlier, the Van Der Beek fundraiser’s initial goal was $1.5 million, though the total amount raised has now reached $2.7 million. This number is likely to continue increasing, as donations were still shown to be actively coming in as of February 19, 2026. While many have argued that this GoFundMe campaign should have never been started in the first place, social commentary on the amount it raised has also been highly critical. Many social media users are calling it off-putting, noting that the funds are higher than what most families going through similar circumstances receive.

GoFundMe’s annual data shows that medical, memorial, emergency, and family support campaigns were the most prevalent fundraiser categories of the year. It’s well known that cancer can be devastating for families, and an often-cited study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association states that medical and illness-related expenses are the leading cause of as many as 66.5% of bankruptcy filings. And yet, according to a 2025 report from Givebutter, the mean amount raised by a GoFundMe campaign is $2,500. Additionally, only 27% of all campaigns manage to achieve their funding target.

Author: John Meyer