James Van Der Beek's Mom Melinda Has Died

07/14/2020 01:57 am EDT

Actor James Van Der Beek is facing another heartbreak Monday. His mother, Melinda Van Der Beek, died at 70 last week, the Dawson's Creek star revealed on Instagram. Van Der Beek said he was "grateful" his mother is no longer in pain and paid tribute to his mother's work as a gymnastics coach. The news comes just a few weeks after the actor revealed his wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, suffered another miscarriage.

Van Der Beek shared several memorable photos of his mother with his children and visiting the set of Dancing With The Stars when he appeared on the show last year. He said his family thought "we were at the end nearly a year and a half ago," but he was still in "shock" over his mother's passing. "I'm sad, I'm angry, I'm relieved... all at once and in different moments," Van Der Beek wrote. "Just trying to hold space and allow for it all."

Melinda worked as a gymnastics coach whose students knew her as "Miss Melinda." Her mantra was, "There's no such word as can't," Van Der Beek wrote. His children knew her as Grammy M, a "magical grandma with a big laugh and a basement full of costumes and Christmas lights." She "passed on a craziness that has been crucial to not just my success, but my own personal happiness," Van Der Beek wrote.

"I don't know what the grieving/healing process looks or feels like from here on out," Van Der Beek wrote. "All I know is anytime my kids - or any of her students - want to dress up, or get on a stage, or dance, or even just think of her... they'll have a little extra love from the other side backing them up."

Thousands of fans and Van Der Beek's famous colleagues sent him and his family condolences. "She did a pretty great job with you, my friend. The biggest of loves to you and your family," actor Charlie Koontz wrote. "Our family is sending yours our condolences my friend," actor Guy Oseary added. One fan shared the memory of meeting Van Der Beek at LAX and how kind he was. "You are genuinely a kind, loving person," the fan wrote. "I'm sure your mother was the same. May God be with you and your family through these difficult times."

Just last month, Van Der Beek and Kimberly revealed she suffered her fifth miscarriage in nine years. The miscarriage happened 17 weeks into the pregnancy. Kimberly was hospitalized and had "another harrowing night of blood transfusions," he wrote in an Instagram post. The way out of pain begins "with an open, broken-hearted contemplation of this question: How can we take better care of each other? And to all the families who have gone through this... you are not alone," he added. Van Der Beek and Kimberly are parents to five children, Olivia, 9; Joshua, 8; Annabel, 6; Emilia, 4; and Gwendolyn, 2.

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