James Van Der Beek, who was partnered with Emma Slater for season 28 of “Dancing With the Stars” back in 2019, posted an emotional video message addressing the devastating floods affecting the state he calls home. As of July 11, CNN says 140 people are still missing in Kerr County, which was most heavily impacted by the event.
“Like everybody in my Texas Hill Country community, I’m just wrecked over the tragedies that’ve happened,” the father of six said in an Instagram video. The “Dawson’s Creek” actor then shared some reflection on his approach to reacting to a disaster.
“In my younger years, I remember feeling like when people experienced a tragedy, that reaching out and saying, ‘I’m so sorry, my deepest condolences, I’m praying for you’ just never felt like enough,” he explained. However, he said after experiencing some tragedy in his own life, he realized he’d been setting the bar for how to react “way too high.”
The actor shared he found himself wanting to “make it okay” for a family to whom he reached that experienced loss after the flood. “You know, I wanted to take away some of their pain,” he said, before adding that, “Sitting with somebody’s pain, just being there for them, and crying with them is a very underrated skill.”
He then sent out a message of support, saying, “To any parents out there going through the unimaginable, I am so sorry for your loss, and know I am praying for ya.”
‘Dawson’s Creek’ Actor Wrote He Was ‘Heartbroken’ Over Texas Hill Country Floods
The 48-year-old “Dawson’s Creek” star said in the caption of his Instagram video on the subject, which he posted around July 8, that his heart was “broken” over the tragedy. He says the disaster reminded him “that I can’t fix everything for everybody.”
He reminded his followers that sometimes all you can do is the face of a tragedy is “offer love, prayers, and maybe contribute to a GoFundMe,” and that as someone who has “been on the receiving end of such gestures, “I can tell you it means a lot.”
He showed solidarity by attaching the hashtags #texasflood and #hillcountrystrong to his post.
James Van Der Beek Moved To Texas In 2020
A November 2024 Realtor.com report says the television star, who won hearts by bringing his famous character Dawson Leery to life, has relocated from Los Angeles to an Austin, Texas ranch the same year the COVID-19 pandemic rocked the world.
The sprawling property is the location where the star has been fighting a health battle after announcing his cancer diagnosis in a November 3, 2024 Instagram post.
He revealed whispers of a tabloid’s plan to run the news forced him to quickly post the news in order to get ahead of the story and let his fans know on his own terms.
In a March 8 followup posted on his birthday, he declared the past year “the worst” of his life, but said he is living by the positive mantra, “I am worthy of love.”
