{"id":68351,"date":"2025-10-11T17:49:10","date_gmt":"2025-10-11T17:49:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/68351\/"},"modified":"2025-10-11T17:49:10","modified_gmt":"2025-10-11T17:49:10","slug":"james-van-der-beek-regrets-not-being-the-father-he-wants-to-be-for-his-son-4-amid-cancer-battle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/68351\/","title":{"rendered":"James Van Der Beek Regrets Not Being the Father He Wants to Be for His Son, 4, Amid Cancer Battle"},"content":{"rendered":"

James Van Der Beek <\/a>revealed his biggest parenting regret amid his cancer battle as she shared a new reflective social media post.<\/p>\n

The actor celebrated his son Jeremiah in a tribute post uploaded via Instagram<\/a> on Friday, October 10 to mark the child\u2019s 4th birthday, while apologizing for not being a better father amid his health struggles<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201c4 years old today. After 2 late-term losses, we thought we were done. Thank God you knew better,\u201d James, 48, wrote alongside a carousel of photos of Jeremiah, including one where the child was perched atop the actor\u2019s shoulders.<\/p>\n

James paid tribute to Jeremiah\u2019s lively personality in the heartfelt post.<\/p>\n

James Van Der Beek Thanks His Dad for Supporting Him \u2018Emotionally\u2019 During Cancer Treatment<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cAn iron will combined with an innate sweetness. And ALL boy. And as you run around and scream and bang things\u2026 all I can think about is how grateful I am that you came to us,\u201d he wrote. \u201cYou\u2019ve been particular from the jump. And as your language skills have finally caught up the specificity of your desires, what I\u2019m seeing is a fun-loving, passionate soul who doesn\u2019t think twice about speaking up for exactly what he wants. And for that example, I thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Continuing the post, the Dawson\u2019s Creek alum then shared that he felt he hasn\u2019t lived up to the standard of father<\/a> that he believed his son deserved.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry there have been spells where I couldn\u2019t be the father I would want to be for you\u2026 where I was too weak to pick you up, throw you around, or even put you to bed\u2026 but know that watching you reveal yourself to us has been one of the greatest joys of my life,\u201d he added. \u201cAnd even though you\u2019re stingy with the hugs\u2026 when you do decide to wrap those thick little arms around my neck, it\u2019s like time has stood still and all is right with the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

James concluded, \u201cI love you, bubba. And I always will. And all you ever have to do is be you. Happy birthday, my \u2018big little boy.\u2019 \u2764\ufe0f\u201d<\/p>\n

Katie Holmes, who costarred alongside James in Dawson\u2019s Creek in the 90s, reacted in the comments.<\/p>\n

\u201cSooooooo sweet!!!!!!!\u201d the actress, 46, wrote.<\/p>\n

Jeremiah is the youngest of six kids<\/a> who James shares with his wife Kimberly. The couple also share Olivia, 15, Joshua, 13, Annabel, 11, Emilia, 8 and Gwendolyn, 6. James and Kimberly have also been open in the past about suffering pregnancy losses in November 2019 and June 2020, which James referenced in the post.<\/p>\n

James Van Der Beek\u2019s Wife Kimberly Sends Supportive Message After He Reveals Cancer Diagnosis<\/a><\/p>\n

The Varsity Blues star announced in November 2024 that he had been diagnosed with stage III colorectal cancer<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family,\u201d he told People at the time, adding, \u201cThere\u2019s reason for optimism, and I\u2019m feeling good.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a video interview for the outlet, James touched on the effect his diagnosis has had on his kids.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy kids have been so supportive and so loving and so tender,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd you hate to watch them have to grow up in that way but you watch them really put you first, which, as a father, is, like, heartwarming and also devastating.\u201d<\/p>\n