Why James Van Der Beek’s Wife Kimberly Almost Died Miscarrying Baby Boy

James Van Der Beek‘s wife, Kimberly, recently suffered a miscarriage, almost losing her own life in the process. Kimberly opened up about her miscarriage on her Instagram Story on Wednesday, sharing more details about the difficult experience. On Monday, Kimberly had said on her Instgram Story that she “almost lost my life,” and on Wednesday, she explained that “my biggest thing is my blood pressure.”

“A lot of blood transfusion action this weekend, so I’m just taking it super easy trying to restore and build my blood,” she said before offering an update on her health. “I am healing. I am definitely healing……. I just get very lightheaded very easily so I can’t really get up and walk around for more than a couple minutes right now,” she said.

James announced the sad news that he and Kimberly had lost their unborn son on Monday’s episode of Dancing With the Stars.

“My wife Kimberly and I went through every expecting parent’s worst nightmare,” the actor said in a video package. “We lost the baby. The little soul that we had expected to welcome into our family took a shortcut to whatever lies beyond.”

“You never know why these things happen, that’s what I’ve been telling my kids. All you know is that it brings you closer together, it breaks you open, it opens up your heart, it deepens your appreciation,” he added. “It makes you more human.”

James was later eliminated from the show after landing in the bottom two with fellow contestant Ally Brooke. After the show, he used Instagram to further open up about the devastating miscarriage.

“Wrecked. Devastated. In shock. That’s how we’re feeling right now after the soul we thought were going to welcome into our family in April… has taken a short cut to whatever lies beyond this life,” he wrote. “We’ve been through this before, but never this late in the pregnancy, and never accompanied by such a scary, horrific threat to [Kimberly] and her well-being.”

“Grateful that she’s now recovering, but we’ve only just begun unpacking the layers of this one,” he continued. “Thank you to all of our friends and co-workers (and dance partners) who have shown up for us so beautifully during this time. As many of you have said, “There are no words…” and it’s true. Which is why in a time like this it’s enough to know that you’re there. Grieving AND counting our blessings today.”

James and Kimberly are parents to Gwendolyn, 1, Emilia, 3, Annabel, 5, Joshua, 7, and Olivia, 9.

Photo Credit: Getty / Tasia Wells