"I was at work when news of James Van Der Beek's death broke. Deeply saddened by his passing, as many millennials were, I walked to the bathroom for a quickie corporate cry. It felt like a piece of my childhood died along with the actor who played Dawson Leery, but it wasn't just a parasocial relationship that had me weeping next to the soap dispenser."
"My husband, four years younger than James, also has cancer. And like James, we have a 4-year-old. (James, who died at 48 of colon cancer, had five other kids, as well.) Even when my husband is doing well, the worst possibility sits in my mind like a hangnail I can't stop picking. The night James died, I went to bed with the sensation of ash filling my chest. In the morning, I awoke to a GoFundMe started in the Van Der Beek family's name."
"Internet backlash came quickly. As someone outside of the celebrity world, I have little in common with Kimberly Van Der Beek, who quickly shared the link to her Instagram story. But I did think publicly asking for financial help was brave. My husband has acute leukemia. Of all the cancers, leukemia with a stem cell transplant (which my husband will hopefully have this spring) is ranked as the most expensive, followed by brain cancer,"
A person received news of James Van Der Beek's death at work and experienced intense grief tied to childhood memories. The person's husband, four years younger, has acute leukemia and they share a 4‑year‑old child. Leukemia requiring a stem‑cell transplant ranks among the most expensive cancers, causing large medical bills, lost income, caregiver costs, and higher bankruptcy rates even for insured patients. A GoFundMe for the Van Der Beek family provoked online backlash, yet public fundraising felt brave to the person. The family has considered starting a GoFundMe but feels conflicted about asking for money while not being poor.
Read at Slate Magazine
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