Jamie-Lynn Sigler saw what she believed was a sign from James Van Der Beek following his death last month.
“I am mourning along with the rest of the world. My dear friend James Van Der Beek passed away after a brave, beautiful, tireless fight against [colorectal] cancer,” Sigler, 44, said during the Tuesday, March 3, episode of her “MeSsy” podcast with Christina Applegate. “His gorgeous wife, Kimberly, and his six beautiful children are his legacy.”
Sigler continued, “James’ wisdom that he shared with us all the time, he so generously shared with the world. And as his friend, it makes me so happy to see the way he’s being celebrated and the way his gospel is sort of spreading like wildfire, the way it always should have. He was larger than life, and he still is.”
Sigler said she attended a memorial at Van Der Beek’s home with his family, where she saw a “giant J” in the clouds.
Becoming emotional, the Sopranos alum added, “The James that you hear being spoken about is the James he was 24-7. I’ve never seen a man so devoted to his family and his craft and his mission. He had dedication and conviction like no other. And he cared more, he made us all better people.”
Sigler said Van Der Beek and his family were “always the first ones there” in times of need.
“I’m going to miss him a lot and I’m really, really sad that my buddy is not here. But I know he’s going to do, as he told us, great magic from above,” she noted.
Van Der Beek died at age 48 on February 11, his family confirmed in a statement at the time.
“Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace,” the statement read. “There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. Those days will come. For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.”
Van Der Beek’s death came more than one year after he went public with his cancer battle in November 2024. After announcing his diagnosis, the Dawson’s Creek alum became an advocate for cancer screenings and shared frequent updates on his journey.
Sigler said on Tuesday that, a few days before Van Der Beek’s death, he told her, “Watch what I’m going to do.”
“So, we’re all down here just waiting, and he was someone I sat with a lot over the last couple of years, in that we could recognize each other in our fights, and the things that we have to deal with, and the silent fights sometimes that we do have,” Sigler, who has been battling multiple sclerosis (MS) since she was 20 years old, continued. “Because we want to show up as partners and parents and community members, and we just don’t want it to always be about what we are feeling and the pain that’s underneath the surface. We kind of always had this, like, ‘I see you, I see you.’”
Sigler concluded, “And even in his fight, he was always thinking of me and saying, I’m trying this Jamie and I thought of you and maybe it could help you. And just the most loving, generous, wonderful, talented, magical, human. Rest in peace, James Van Der Beek. We will honor you always. And again, one of the greatest gifts of my life was being his friend.”
