Actor Mehcad Brooks hit back at a naysayer who criticized James Van Der Beek's family for turning to GoFundMe for help after the star's death
A close friend of James Van Der Beek has defended the late actor's family seeking help through GoFundMe following the actor's death, telling skeptics they “have no idea” what they are talking about.
Van Der Beek died last week, aged 48, after being diagnosed with colorectal cancer, leaving behind his wife, Kimberly, and their six young children. The costs of his care have left the family “out of funds,” and in an outpouring of support, more than $2.6 million has been donated to the family.
But some detractors have criticized the family for publicly turning to GoFundMe for help amid news reports that they had recently bought a $4.7 million ranch in Texas. One naysayer remarked on Threads that the situation “doesn't sit right with me” because “thousands of people around the world face this exact situation every day and deal with the struggle … [and] they don't get $2.5 million.” (A representative for Van Der Beek later clarified the family had been renting the home, and Van Der Beek was able to secure enough funds for a down payment on the property before he died.)
The comment struck a nerve with actor Mehcad Brooks — of Law & Order and Mortal Kombat — who described himself as a close friend of the Dawson's Creek star as he angrily told the stranger weighing in that it was okay to “stay quiet in the face of blind stupidity.”
“The headlines are fake AF you have no idea what you're talking about,” Brooks replied. “You have no idea the pain they went through. It's ok to stfu when you can't know what the fuck you're talking about. It's ok not to try to seek attention off of other people's suffering or the generosity in response to it. Because James touched them for decades.”
“It's ok for you to stay quiet in the face of blind stupidity, meanness and lack of empathy. But maybe you're not okay,” Brooks added.
Prior to his death, Van Der Beek raised nearly $50,000 in December from auctioning off memorabilia from some of his most famous shows, including Dawson's Creek and Varsity Bluesto offset costs from his medical treatment.
