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There has been an outpouring of grief across Hollywood after tragically passed away on Wednesday following a battle with colorectal .
The Dawson's Creek star is survived by wife Kimberly, 44, and their six children - with those closest to him branding the couple's romance 'the greatest example of love I've ever known'.
It's unimaginable how Kimberly will be feeling without James by her side, having been inseparable since they first met in 2009 during a trip to Israel.
Their whirlwind was undoubtedly an epic whirlwind, with Kimberly falling pregnant with their first child just six months after meeting, and the pair getting engaged shortly after.
A year later, they returned to Israel where they tied the knot in August 2010 at the Kabbalah Centre in .
In recent months they had been making the most of spending quality time on their Texan ranch with their children - daughters Olivia, 15, Annabel, 12, Emilia, nine, and Gwendolyn, seven, and sons Joshua, 13, and Jeremiah, four.
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James Van Der Beek's wife Kimberly announced in an emotional statement on Wednesday that he had passed away at the age of 48 after a battle with colorectal cancer
But it was his love for wife Kimberly many of his celebrity friends remembered him most for, with pals branding the couple's romance 'the greatest example of love I've ever known'
James was never shy of declaring his love for film producer wife Kimberly, who he met shortly after the breakdown of his first marriage to Heather McComb.
Just two years ago James and Kimberly celebrated their 10th anniversary and the actor penned a sweet tribute to 'the woman who made the happiest I'd ever been'.
James shared that when they met in 2009 he had finally come to the realisation that he was fed up being single and wanted to find his soul mate. He was in the midst of telling a friend about his relationship plans when a then-unknown to him Kimberly joined the conversation.
He was infatuated with her, he said, but she was not looking to settle down - until fate intervened when Kimberly fell pregnant.
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James wrote: 'This marriage has demanded I be more present, more honest, more authentic, more open, more patient, more passionate, daring, capable, fun, and vulnerable than I've ever been. And I'm still earning her.
'We've been through joy and pain and everything in between, and even at the height of our most impassioned arguments... she's who I want by my side.
'Kimberly, you astound me. Your bravery, your tenderness, and your unwillingness to settle for anything less than what can and ought to be.... You're the best human I know. I love you, and I look forward to earning your partnership for years to come.
'(And also that huge party/vow renewal in the woods I've been promising you for ten years - once we're out of pandemic protocol) Happy anniversary babe ❤️.'
Just six months after meeting the couple were living together and would soon discover she was pregnant
The couple have since welcomed six children together: daughters Olivia, Annabel, Emilia and Gwendolyn, and sons Joshua and Jeremiah
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James and Kimberly returned to Israel where they tied the knot in August 2010 at the Kabbalah Centre in Tel Aviv
Kimberly also told ET Online that they opted to move after enduring a 'crazy year' that involved two tragic pregnancy losses and the death of James' mother.
