Dawson's Creek star James Van Der Beek don die at di age of 48

Actor James Van Der Beek, wey pipo sabi for im role for US teen drama Dawson Creek, don die at di age of 48 after dem diagnose am with bowel cancer.

"Our beloved James David Van Der Beek pass peacefully dis morning," im family tok inside statement dem post to im social media accounts. "E meet im final days with courage, faith, and grace."

Di star bin dey diagnosed with di disease for di latter half of 2023 but e only reveal di news for November 2024.

Di father of six act for multiple popular shows and films for di late 1990s and early 2000s, including di cult classic Dawson's Creek and Varsity Blues.

Inside interview with Business Insider, e reveal say e start to dey experience changes for im bowel movements, wey be common symptom of bowel cancer. E stop to dey drink coffee to see whether e go help before e do screening test.

E reveal say e get stage three of di disease, wey mean say e spread to nearby lymph nodes.

Colorectal cancer develop from growths for di colon inner lining and fit spread if dem no treat am, according to di Cleveland Clinic.

More men develop dis form of cancer dan women. Increased screenings don help detect am early - lowering di number of people wey die from colorectal cancer, di clinic tok.

Van Der Beek say im "lowest point" for treatment na feeling like say e dey lose key parts of im identity.

"All dis beautiful tins wey I love, and I bin dey use to define myself as - a father, a provider, a husband - all dat dey taken away, or at least dey paused," e tok. "I get to sit dia and say, 'Well, wetin I be?' And e be, 'I still dey worthy of love.'"

Following im own diagnosis, Van Der Beek spend time dey raise awareness about screening.

"I don learn a lot," e tell Business Insider. "If I fit save anyone from having to go through dis, dat na magic."

Van Der Beek na one of di most famous faces on TV for di late 1990s and 2000s, e act as Dawson Leery togeda with Katie Holmes for di hit TV show Dawson's Creek, which ran from 1998 to 2003.

E also dey di 1999 coming-of-age film Varsity Blues.

E play di fictionalised version of imself for di cult television show Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23, and e perform for di 28th US season of Dancing with the Stars.

Van Der Beek bin continue to dey work even with im diagnosis.

Earlier dis year, e guest star for Prime Video college comedy, Overcompensating.

Van Der Beek make a surprise virtual appearance for one Dawson's Creek reunion charity event on 22 September, after e been dey forced to pull out of di live event sake of two stomach viruses.

Di likes of Michelle Williams, Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson and Busy Philipps bi dey di reunion, dem perform a live table reading of di show pilot episode from 1998, dem bin dey joined by Lin-Manuel Miranda wey stand in for Van Der Beek.

Di event raise funds for charity F Cancer and be also a tribute to dia castmate.

For one interview with ABC News for 2020, Van Der Beek say e bin dey very shy as a child.

"I bin no ever wan be actor as a kid. I bin wan be an athlete," e tok.