James Van Der Beek got real about how his family went through the process of healing after suffering through two pregnancy losses back-to-back with his wife Kimberly.
On Friday, the Dawson’s Creek alum took a moment to reflect on his life ever since the couple experienced a miscarriage a couple of years ago. He shared two family pictures from different road trips to the same place. The first throwback snapshot happened when the couple lost a baby “18 weeks into pregnancy” in November 2019, while the rest were from a trip earlier this month. James wrote in the Instagram caption:
“Pic #1 we had just lost a baby 18 weeks into pregnancy and almost lost @vanderkimberly in the process. I had a collaboration going south, rapidly. And I’d just been booted off a reality dancing competition I’d been favored to win. (I feel like three out of those four are fairly relatable).”
Related: Halsey Says They Suffered 3 Miscarriages Before Giving Birth To Baby Ender
The 45-year-old actor recalled how the family decided to rent an RV and travel with “no real plan, just day-to-day” following the painful experience. During their road trip, they went to an RV park located next to the river, which is seen in the photos, late one night. That moment ended up being a pivotal moment for James and his family, explaining in the post:
“And thus began the process – not necessarily of healing – but of being present. Present to the pain. Present to the beauty around us. And present to the acceptance of being in a process I did not understand. 2 ½ years later, after another late-term pregnancy loss, after that project blew up completely, after we moved to a new state and got our own RV… we came back to that same spot. With a brand new baby boy.”
He continued:
“Reflecting back on that first trip, I’m astounded by how much I didn’t know about the path to where I am now… and by how much peace I was able to feel in the midst of that darkness. Whatever you’re going through… if you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel, or even know where to look for it… I invite you to not underestimate the power of a little change of environment… and of taking the time to sit exactly where you’re at. Healing comes at its own pace. Presence might just be a pre-requisite.”
Well said. Sending love to James and his family as they continue their healing journey. You can check out the entire post (below):
[Image via James Van Der Beek/Instagram, WENN/Avalon]