World News for Students of English

17-02-2026 07:00

James Van Der Beek, the well-known star of the 1990s TV drama Dawson’s Creek, died at the age of 48 after a long battle with cancer.

His wife shared the sad news on social media and said he faced his final days with courage, faith, and grace. Many fans and actors wrote messages about his strong influence on their lives and careers.

After his death, a GoFundMe page started to raise money for his widow and their six children. The page reached more than 200,000 dollars in less than one hour. In 2024, he told the public about his colorectal cancer after a routine colonoscopy found the disease. He said he wanted to focus on his health and treatment.

Van Der Beek became famous for his role as Dawson Leery, a young man with big dreams. The show made him a teen star. Later, he acted in over 60 films and TV shows.

Difficult words: courage (the strength to face danger, pain, or fear), colorectal (related to the large intestine), colonoscopy (a medical test where a doctor looks inside your large intestine with a small camera).

You can watch the video news lower on this page.