James Van Der Beek‘s friend and fellow actor Mehcad Brooks (“True Blood,” “Mortal Kombat”) recently used Threads (via Day by day Beast) to slam the backlash over the GoFundMe that was created to boost money for Van Der Beek’s wife and kids after his death. The campaign raised $2.6 million after revealing the late actor’s cancer battle had left his family “out of funds.” Nevertheless, detractors emerged on social media.
“This doesn’t sit right with me. By no means,” one user on Threads posted in regards to the GoFundMe. “Sure, I get it. But hundreds of individuals around the globe face this exact situation day by day and cope with the struggle. They don’t get $2.5 million. It’s just weird. He needed to have had life insurance… and residual checks…”
Brooks saw this post and fired back in a response that reads: “I’m certainly one of the Van Der Beek’s closet friends and the headlines are fake AF you will have no idea wtf you’re talking about,” Brooks wrote amid backlash. “You have got no idea the pain they went through. It’s okay to stfu when you possibly can’t know what the fuck you’re talking about. It’s okay to not attempt to seek attention off of other people’s suffering or the generosity in response to it. Because James touched them for many years. It’s okay so that you can stay quiet within the face of blind stupidity, meanness and lack of empathy. But possibly you’re not okay.”
The GoFundMe campaign was began by friends of the late actor. They thanked fans because the campaign hit $2 million.
“Thanks from the underside of our hearts for showing up for James and his beautiful family. Your kindness has meant greater than we will put into words,” read a press release. “In the midst of deep grief, your support has been a light-weight. It reminds us that love is real, that community is robust, and that James’s spirit continues to bring people together… Your respect and understanding will give them the room they should heal.”
Backlash against the campaign appeared to speed up after Realtor.com published a report claiming Van Der Beek purchased a ranch outside Austin, Texas, for $4.8 million in January. The actor and his family had previously been renting the ranch since moving out of California in 2020.
“James secured [a] down payment for the Texas ranch for the family with the assistance of friends through a trust in order that they could shift from rent to mortgage,” the late actor’s rep told People over the weekend.
Brooks has used social media in the times after Van Der Beek’s death to mourn and honor his friend. In a carousel of photos of the 2 together, Brooks wrote that it was “certainly one of the best honors of my life is to call James my brother. It can’t be understated how much impact this man had on the world, particularly those that knew him closely. He was and at all times will likely be an angel amongst us.”
“I used to be with him for the last 4 days,” Brooks continued. “He handled the transition from flesh and blood, earth and bone to air and spirit, energy and soul like a real King. James truly impacted me in such a singular and special way that I’d be on this phone all day trying to elucidate it to you all… You have got no idea how wonderful of a human being he truly is.”