It was such a shock to hear that James Van Der Beek passed away earlier today.  He was only 48 years old.

For me, James Van Der Beek will always be Dawson, even though he had a long career.  If he’s not Dawson, he’ll be Mox, the quarterback who wanted to read Vonnegut in peace and who most of all did not “want your life.”  When Dawson’s Creek was at its peak, I was just at the right age to develop a crush on a sensitive young man who just wanted to make movies and read books.  I know a lot of people turned against Dawson as Dawson’s Creek went on.  Joey ended up with Pacey and Lisa and I used to argue for hours about whether or not she made the right choice.  I liked Pacey but I loved Dawson, even when everyone else was turning against him.

James Van Der Beek went on to do some movies.  He played a version of himself in Don’t Trust The B—- In Apartment 23 and he was the funniest and best thing about that show.  The most important thing that James did was that he became a father to six children and my heart goes out to all of them.  Dawson wanted to go to Hollywood but James Van Der Beek left Hollywood to devote himself to being a dad.

Rest in Peace, James Van Der Beek.