James Van Der Beek mourns the loss of his mother

Instagram

The former Dawson's Creek star announced on Instagram that his mom, Melinda Van Der Beek, had passed away. His announcement was accompanied by a series of photographs, including several from last fall of her visiting him at Dancing with the Stars. "My mom crossed over last week," he wrote. "Even though we knew this was coming - and had actually thought we were at the end nearly a year and a half ago - I’m still in shock. I’m grateful she’s no longer in pain, I’m sad, I’m angry, I’m relieved... all at once and in different moments."