Emma Slater's Heartfelt Tributes to James Van Der Beek

Emma Slater continues to share heartfelt tributes to her late Dancing With the Stars partner, James Van Der Beek. Van Der Beek passed away on February 11 at the age of 48. He had been diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer in August 2023 and publicly shared his diagnosis in November 2024. Slater posted cherished rehearsal photos and videos from their time on Season 28 of DWTS in 2019, expressing how much she misses him. She stated her heart hurts with love for him and that she will "dance everyday for you James." Slater also shared that Van Der Beek, his wife Kimberly, and their six children became like family to her. She previously posted a tribute on February 11, calling him "brilliant" and stating she was "lucky to have known the man that you are." She also shared a video of them performing their samba routine at a private gathering, noting, "He loved to dance! And I know he's still dancing."