Fundraiser for widow and children of James Van Der Beek surpasses goal within hours

The Dawson’s Creek star, who died on Tuesday aged 48, had been open about struggling to meet the high expenses of his cancer treatment

James Van Der Beek at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles back in 2019. Picture: Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP.

A GoFundMe set up to support the widow and children of actor James Van Der Beek has passed its initial goal of $500,000 (€420,650) within hours of being created and has now been updated to a goal of $1m (€841,220).

Van Der Beek, best known for his role as sensitive teen Dawson Leery on the TV series Dawson’s Creek, died on Tuesday, aged 48, after a battle with bowel cancer.