A moving message spoken by late Dawson’s Creek actor, Jason Van Der Beek, has been shared on social media. It’s left scores of his fans in tears after he passed away aged 48
In the wake of the heartbreaking loss of James Van Der Beek, a poignant video has been recirculating online.
The short clip, which was posted by the star, has been shared on social media. And it’s left many of his fans in tears after the actor passed away on Wednesday (February 11), aged just 48 following a well-publicised battle with colorectal cancer.
James was best known for playing title character, Dawson Leery in Dawson’s Creek, which ran for six seasons from 1998 until 2003. He was also known for his roles in the films, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, The Big Bang and Labour Day.
Paying tribute, attorney and podcaster, Eric Matheny took to X to share a poignant speech from James, recorded not long before his death.
He wrote: “Wisdom from a man who was coming to terms with his own mortality. Take the two minutes and 50 seconds to watch this. Incredible. What a great human being.”
In the candid clip, James began: “Today is my birthday and it has been the hardest year of my life and I wanted to share something that I’ve learned with you all.”
He explained that when he was younger he defined himself as an actor, but never truly found this “fulfilling”.
The star continued: “I then became a husband and then a father, and that was the ultimate – I could define myself as a loving, capable, strong, supportive husband, father, provider and steward of the land we’re so lucky to live on.”
He elaborated that for a long time, this felt like a “really good definition” of “who am I and what am I”. James continued: “But this year, I had to look my own mortality in the eye and I had to come nose-to-nose with death.
“All of those definitions that I cared so much about were stripped from me. I was away for treatment so I could no longer be the husband that’s helpful to my wife. I could no longer be the father who could pick up his kids, put them to bed and be there for them.”
Solemn James also admitted he couldn’t be a provider as he wasn’t working – and as for being a steward of the land, he “couldn’t even do that” due to being “too weak to even prune the trees”.
He heartbreakingly went on to explain he found himself faced with the question of if he was a “too skinny, weak guy alone in an apartment with cancer, then what am I?”
James said he meditated and “the answer came through”. He declared: “I am worthy of God’s love, simply because I exist. And if I am worthy of God’s love, then shouldn’t I also be worthy of my own?”
He closed with a reflective message for others: “The same is true for you. And as I move through this healing portal towards recovery, I wanted to share that with you. That revelation that came to me was due in no small part to all the prayers and the love that was directed towards me.”
Writing in response, on X user gushed: “Absolutely beautiful on such a profound level. Thank you for sharing this wonderful clip.”
A second person wrote: “I don’t even want to know anyone who, if not moved to tears (as I was) somewhere in these 2 minutes and 54 seconds, wasn’t moved in some way. Good night, you beautiful, beautiful soul.”
A third hailed: “Literally the most beautiful thing I’ve heard in a long time. I finished his sentence before he did when he said what am I? You were a blessed child of God.”
And a fourth X user said: “Wow that’s beautiful. He was a good kind man, father and a professional.”
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: mirror.co.uk
