Katie Holmes has shared a handwritten letter on social media expressing sorrow over the death of fellow actor James Van Der Beek and gratitude for his impact.
Van Der Beek — who shot to fame in the late 1990s and early 2000s as Dawson Leery in the television series Dawson’s Creek — died of colorectal cancer on Wednesday. He was 48.
Holmes, who played Dawson’s love interest Joey Potter, posted her tribute to Instagram.
“James,” she wrote.
“Thank you. To share space with your imagination is sacred — breathing the same air in the land of make believe and trusting that each other’s hearts are safe in their expression … these are some of the memories along with laughter, conversations about life, James Taylor songs — adventures of a unique youth …”
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Holmes went on to highlight Van Der Beek’s bravery, as well as his compassion, selflessness and strength.
“An appreciation for life and the action taken to live life with the integrity that life is art — creating a beautiful marriage, six loving children — the journey of a hero.”
Holmes said she is mourning the loss of her friend “with a heart holding the reality of his absence and deep gratitude for his imprint on it”.
She informed his wife and children, she would be there for them always.
James Van Der Beek embraced his character with humour
In her caption, Holmes said she had formed these words with a heavy heart and that Van Der Beek’s death was a lot to process.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise funds for his wife, Kimberly, and his six children.
According to the fundraising page, they face an uncertain future after doing everything they could to support Van Der Beek and provide for his care.
The fundraiser has attracted a huge response from fans and prominent donors, exceeding its $US1.5 million ($2.10 million) target.
Dawson’s Creek was a hit teen drama that aired from 1998 to 2003, and followed the lives of a close-knit group of friends in the fictional town of Capeside. It currently streams on Stan.