James Van Der Beek trick-or-treats on golf cart with kids with cancer

James Van Der Beek He doesn’t let his ongoing cancer battle get him down — especially when it comes to taking his kids trick-or-treating on Halloween.

“Happy Halloween!!!” James’ wife, Kimberly VanderBeekhe wrote via Instagram earlier on Saturday, November 1, sharing a photo of the family’s outfits from the night before.

James, 48, looked dapper. Phantom of the Operacomplete with tuxedo, white tie and matching half mask. Kimberly, 43, dressed up as a fox with spider webs painted on her neck.

“Ghosts and foxes,” Kimberly wrote on her Instagram Stories, snapping a selfie with her spouse during the holidays on Friday, October 31.

The Van Der Beeks, parents to Olivia, 15, Joshua, 13, Annabelle, 11, Amelia, 9, Gwendolyn, 7, and Jeremiah, 4, all wore individual outfits on Friday. Annabelle and Emilia dressed up as the Statue of Liberty and the Witch respectively, while Joshua wore a skeleton costume. Gwendoline plays Rumi, K-Pop Demon Hunter Jeremiah transforms into an adorable lime green bear. (Olivia is not in the family photo.)

After taking the adorable photos, James and Kimberly took the kids to a neighbor’s house to collect various candies.

“A trick-or-treating golf cart?! Don’t mind if we do this,” Kimberly wrote on her story, sharing a photo of James and Jeremiah sitting in the front seat. “Thank you my baby @odetteannable.”

James announced in the fall of 2023 that he had been diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer.

“I have been dealing with this diagnosis privately and taking steps to address it with the support of my family,” dawson creek alum tells people In November 2023, he revealed that he had privately undergone an undisclosed treatment. “There’s reason to be optimistic, and I feel good.”

He continued, “It was a crash course in mastering mind, body and spirit. I thought, ‘This is either going to get me out of my body or it’s going to teach me how to actually live in my body.'”

When James was diagnosed, his father, James Williamtook immediate action to support his son through the difficulties.

“Your presence when I was in a tough spot this year—we didn’t have to ask or even thank you—not only saved my life but was life-affirming,” James wrote in a January tribute to his father on Instagram. “When I’m out for treatment, I move out to the ranch. Make lunches, light the fire for @vanderkimberly, drive the kids, even take care of the dogs and chickens, but that’s not all. I’m blown away by how emotionally present you all have been while I’ve been going through everything cancer has to offer.”

He concluded: “I know this is out of your comfort zone, but especially since my mom passed away, you’ve stood up for me time and time again and I didn’t even know how much I needed. Thank you for being the best. I will keep my word that we will never ask you to change Jeremiah’s diapers.”