James Van Der Beek, known for his portrayal of Dawson Leery on Dawson’s Creek, has died. He was 48.

The WB star rose to fame in the late 1990’s with the teen drama and movies like Varsity Blues. He was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2024.

He leaves behind a wife and six children, as well as a whole pack of dogs.

A lesson for America in this celebrity death. Van der Beek was a celebrity. He was a well-known actor even if his star was a bit dim these days. But after his cancer diagnosis, he was forced to sell off his acting memorabilia and even start a gofundme to cover his treatment. If someone of this level of success in the US can’t afford medical care without going broke, what hope does the average working stiff have?

What kind of failure is our system if people have to chose between financial devastation or dying?