James Van Der Beek‘s rep is clarifying reports about a Texas property his family had been in the process of purchasing before his death last week at 48.
The Dawson’s Creek star died on Wednesday following a three-year battle with colorectal cancer. He is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and six children aged between 4 and 15.
Nearly six years before his death, James had relocated his family from Los Angeles to Austin, Texas, to provide a different pace of life for his kids.
“We wanted to give them space and we wanted them to live in nature,” James told City Lifestyle, while Kimberly called Texas “exactly what we needed.”
On Friday, Realtor reported that James had purchased the 36-acre property in early January, noting the alleged sale appeared to be off-market and through an LLC.
After the report circulated, James’s rep issued a statement to People sharing additional context about how the property was being financed.
“James secured down payment for the Texas ranch for the family with the help of friends through a trust so they could shift from rent to mortgage,” the rep said.
According to Realtor, the property spans over 5,000 square feet and features five bedrooms and three bathrooms.
After James’s death, a GoFundMe was organized for his family, saying that James’s medical care and associated costs left them “out of funds.” As of writing, it has raised more than $2.6 million from thousands of donors, including several celebrities. You can read more here.
