‘Dawson’s Creek’ star Meredith Monroe breaks silence on James Van Der Beek’s death with touching tribute

Meredith Monroe is reminiscing on her friendship with James Van Der Beek as she paid tribute to the actor weeks after his tragic death.

The “Tornado Valley” star posted a series of Instagram photos Friday with her late “Dawson’s Creek” co-star, reflecting on his “legacy” and their time on the WB hit.

“It’s been 2 weeks & I still don’t know what to say?? Nothing seems right??” Monroe captioned the photos.

“James, you, Kimberly, your children & families have been constantly in my thoughts, my prayers & on my heart.”

The “Criminal Minds” actress, 48, added that she has been “flooded with fond memories of our friendship that we shared over the years & this is what’s come from them.”

Monroe further reflected on Van Der Beek’s “light,” which she noted shone through in “your humor & laughter.”

“Your curiosity, time & energy both in others & the world around you, your ability to be completely present & make others feel welcome & comfortable, your sincerity, friendship, compassion & love,” she added.

She concluded her post with a sweet nod to Van Der Beek’s wife, Kimberly, whom he married in 2010, and their six children.

“James may the love & community that your light has built worldwide be reflected back infinitely upon your beautiful wife Kimberly, your amazing children & your family,” she penned. “God gained an angel far too soon. Rest in peace.”

Monroe included a solo shot of Van Der Beek, a picture of the pair on “Dawson’s Creek,” and a photo with Mary-Margaret Humes, who played his on-screen mom, Gail Leery.

Monroe and Van Der Beek — who died on Feb. 11, 2026, at age 48 after battling colorectal cancer — starred on the hit drama together for three seasons.

The actress played Andie McPhee from Season 2 to 4, while Van Der Beek portrayed Dawson Leery for all six seasons.

Van Der Beek’s “Dawson’s Creek” co-star, Katie Holmes, also posted a handwritten tribute earlier this month.

The actress wrote in part, “I mourn this loss with a heart holding the reality of his absence and deep gratitude for his imprint on it.”

Holmes, who played Joey Potter on the show from 1998 to 2003, captioned the Instagram upload, “I am so grateful to have shared in a piece of James’ journey. He is beloved.”

“Heartbroken” Sasha Alexander, who played Gretchen Witter, called Van Der Beek a “deep, thoughtful soul” in an Instagram post after news broke.

“I will always be grateful that I got to stand in his light for a little while. That I got to laugh with him, go to prom with Dawson and grow up alongside him,” she said. “He will live on in our memories, and in the kindness he left behind. Rest in peace, my friend.”

Following Van Der Beek’s death, his friends created a GoFundMe to raise money for his children.

The page has since raised over $1.32 million.

The fundraiser’s initial goal was $500,000, but it ended up increasing to $1.5 million.

Over 26,000 people have donated to the fundraiser, including actress Zoe Saldaña, who set up a recurring amount of $2,500 a month.