Although he is currently battling cancer, Dawson’s Creek alum James Van Der Beek says his health woes weren’t the reason he postponed his planned Today show appearance last week.
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On his Instagram Stories, the actor explained his absence from the morning show was due to a medical issue for one of his children.
“Tell me you have kids without telling me you have kids. Having to postpone @today show appearance because of pink eye,” he wrote alongside a selfie featuring one of his daughters.
The Dawson’s Creek alum further apologized to Today and Craig Melvin “for having to push” his appearance and reschedule it.
“Pink eye(s) almost cleared up,” he added. “See you Dec.17.”
Van Der Beek, who shares six children with his wife, Kimberly, has been battling stage 3 colorectal cancer over the past year. He previously opened up about how the diagnosis has impacted his family.
“My kids have been so supportive and so loving and so tender,” he previously told PEOPLE. “And you hate to watch them have to grow up in that way, but you watch them really put you first, which, as a father, is, like, heartwarming and also devastating.”
James Van Der Beek Was Recently Forced to Cancel His ‘Dawson’s Creek’ Reunion Appearance Due to Health Issues
The Today postponement came just a couple of months after James Van Der Beek was forced to cancel his appearance at the Dawson’s Creek reunion due to his health struggles.
Van Der Beek was set to appear alongside Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson, and Michelle Williams for the reunion. The event also raised money for cancer.
“This is the evening I’d been looking forward to MOST since my angel Michelle Williams said she was putting it together, way back in January,” Van Der Beek shared on Instagram. “So you can imagine how gutted I was when two stomach viruses conspired to knock me out of commission and keep me grounded at the worst possible moment.”
He then shared, “Despite every effort… I won’t get to be there. I won’t get to stand on that stage and thank every soul in the theater for showing up for me, and against cancer, when I needed it most.”
Lin-Manuel Miranda ended up replacing James Van Der Beek for the reunion. However, the Dawson’s Creek star did make a cameo via video at the event.
“I can’t believe I’m not there,” he stated in a recorded clip. “I can’t believe I don’t get to hug my castmates, my beautiful cast, in person.”
He then said, “I just wanted to stand on that stage and thank every single person in this theater for being here tonight.”
“You’re the best fans in the world,” Van Der Beek said. “Thank you for coming.”