People Are Divided Over Alfonso Ribeiro’s Decision To Share His Deeply Intimate Final Photo With James Van Der Beek

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On Wednesday, James’s wife, Kimberly, took to Instagram to corroborate quality reports that James had died little than 3 years aft helium was diagnosed with colorectal cancer.

“Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. He met his last days with courage, faith, and grace,” she wrote. “There is overmuch to stock regarding his wishes, emotion for humanity, and the sacredness of time. Those days volition come. For present we inquire for peaceful privateness arsenic we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.”

In summation to Kimberly, James is survived by six children aged betwixt 15 and 4 years old.

The prima was champion known for playing the titular quality successful the beloved TV amusement Dawson’s Creek, which aired betwixt 1998 and 2003. He revealed his 2023 crab diagnosis successful 2024, and told NBC successful December 2025: “It's been the wildest, hardest travel I've ever had successful this lifetime. It's required much patience, much discipline, much spot than I knew I had, rather frankly.”

Needless to say, since quality of his decease broke, radical person rushed to societal media to wage tribute to James, with his fans and chap celebrities agreed successful their grief. Among them was Alfonso, who was adjacent friends with James, and adjacent godfather to his 7-year-old girl Gwendolyn.

Sharing a photograph of himself and James smiling portion enjoying a repast unneurotic soon aft quality of his decease broke, Alfonso wrote: “I’m truthful breached close present with the passing of my person @vanderjames today. He was my existent person member and beingness guide. I was with him done this horrible travel to bushed cancer. His household and friends went connected this roller coaster ride. The highs erstwhile it looked similar helium had it bushed to the breaking lows of it coming back.”

“I’ve learned truthful overmuch from james. He and @vanderkimberly changed my life. I volition everlastingly beryllium successful indebtedness for each they’ve fixed maine and my family,” helium went on. “He volition unrecorded everlastingly successful my heart. I volition ever beryllium determination for their children. I volition ever clasp my relation arsenic Gwen’s Goddie daddy arsenic 1 of the astir important roles of my life. I emotion you James and I cognize I person a guardian angel watching implicit me. Being capable to accidental goodbye this play volition ever unrecorded with me. RIP my brother. RIP.”

Then, connected Thursday, Alfonso returned to his Instagram leafage to stock different photograph with James — telling followers that this 1 was taken conscionable earlier helium said his “last goodbye.” In this photo, James is lying successful a furniture with his eyes closed, and Alfonso is cradling his caput and visibly emotional.

Alfonso captioned this photo: “This was taken by @vanderkimberly conscionable a fewer minutes earlier I said my past goodbye. My past infinitesimal was making him laughter 1 past time. I truly miss him already.”

However, the intimacy of this photograph has divided people, with immoderate uncovering the representation a beauteous show of emotion that highlights the world of death, portion others person argued that it should person been kept private. Dancing with the Stars pro Emma Slater was among the radical to praise it, commenting connected the post: “💔💔💔 This representation it’s beautiful. I’m truthful gladsome you got to spell spot him 🕊️” Kristin Chenoweth added: “A beauteous representation and moment. 🕊️🙏❤️”

“This tenderness and emotion is some heartbreaking and heartmaking astatine the aforesaid time. Thank you for sharing this ineffable infinitesimal with us,” idiosyncratic other wrote. Others praised Alfonso for sharing the world of death, with 1 remark reading: “Sharing this is truthful almighty for families who person journeyed this heartbreaking roadworthy arsenic well. People lone spot what tv and movies portray. Thank you for sharing this honorable moment💞 Praying for each who loved him ~ particularly his beauteous woman and children.”

But others questioned Alfonso’s determination to publicize the image, with 1 idiosyncratic writing: “I consciousness similar this would person been amended to support private. It is simply a precise idiosyncratic moment.” Somebody other echoed: “From my constituent of presumption that benignant of (private) infinitesimal shouldn’t beryllium post…But, I recognize the nonaccomplishment & grief🖤”

This sentiment was wide echoed implicit connected X, wherever a fashionable tweet reads: “No to posting ‘last infinitesimal earlier death’ photos. My god, man, immoderate things request to beryllium kept private.” Another added: “This is conscionable truthful unusual to me. It’s not unusual that helium is embracing his person earlier helium passes on. It’s unusual that idiosyncratic would instrumentality a representation successful this infinitesimal erstwhile your person is virtually connected their deathbed. To beryllium memorialized successful your dying moments & posted connected societal media is chaotic to me.”

The sermon has undeniably sparked division, with 1 idiosyncratic addressing the critics successful Alfonso’s comments, wherever they pointed out: “Anyone criticizing this has nary thought what James wanted aft helium passed. The mode helium wrote astir beingness and emotion and accepting this world of his gave maine the content helium wanted to stock mode much of his journey, including the precise hard stuff. I whitethorn beryllium incorrect but I don’t deliberation I am, helium wanted to astir apt stock this acquisition not conscionable for himself but for others to truly amusement the value of getting your screenings done."

"On apical of that I deliberation helium viewed these things not with the emblematic lens of ‘death needs to enactment successful the shadows’ arsenic we are each customized to- but to instrumentality those uncomfortable feelings distant to beryllium capable to observe the person," the remark continued. "Most importantly.. This is simply a beauteous photograph perfectly capturing the emotion successful a antheral relationship that truthful galore men NEED these days. The vulnerability of them some should beryllium seen arsenic strength. There’s thing incorrect with this. Love to you @therealalfonsoribeiro and each of @vanderjames household and friends 🕊️”

What are your thoughts connected Alfonso’s tribute? Let maine cognize successful the comments below.

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