James Van Der Beek Says the Outpouring of Love He's Received amid Cancer Announcement 'Means the World' (Exclusive)

James Van Der Beek is open about the outpouring of love and support he received when he first told his family and close circle of friends about his colon cancer diagnosis.

“The 31st last August I became one of the many millions of Americans and people around the world who found out they had cancer,” says Van Der Beek, 47, during an exclusive interview with PEOPLE for this week’s cover. “Stage 3 Colorectal Cancer.”

James Van Der Beek, 47, Diagnosed with Colorectal Cancer: ‘There’s Reason for Optimism and I’m Feeling Good’ (Exclusive)

After the initial shock wore off, he says one of the next steps was telling the people he loved.

“Talking to people took a lot of energy,” he says. “I’m an empath. I like to take care of everybody. I’m a breadwinner, and especially at that moment, I was trying to be Superman and be everything to everybody and be a dad and a breadwinner. And so having to tell people and my father, my brothers and sisters and to my kids, it was really awkward.”

He says that he tried to portray the gruesome situation as positively as possible.

“I went into it with the same attitude that this is curable. I can handle it, but this is what happens,” he says, speaking to loved ones.

The response of support has been overwhelming.

“It was unbelievable,” he says, crying. “I’ve never been a person who asked for any help – ever. It’s not in my DNA. And I thought that was a good way to be until cancer. The way friends showed up was such a beautiful experience – and otherwise I would never have seen how much people cared about me.”

Peter Yang

James Van Der Beek’s wife Kimberly shares a heartfelt message after revealing his colorectal cancer diagnosis

He publicly shared his diagnosis with PEOPLE and on Instagram on Nov. 3, and since then, the love he’s received in return has gone global. “When people give me words of support and just tell me they’re thinking of me, it means the world,” he says.

The experience also helped him feel better about how he had supported his friends in the past.

“Whenever someone came to me with a diagnosis or a tragedy, I always felt it was inappropriate to say, well, I’m praying for you. You’re in my thoughts and my condolences. How can I support? I always felt like that wasn’t enough,” he says. he.

“But because you’ve been in this position, it absolutely is. You don’t ask for anyone to solve it for you. You don’t ask for anyone to help you get through the pain because you’re going to go through it anyway. But when people give me words of support and tell me that they mean me, that means enough for all those who feel inadequate. I’m very sorry and they don’t have words, that’s okay.”

James Van Der Beek with his wife Kimberly and their children.

Peter Yang

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She continues, “I really just want to shout out to my friends who were able to sit with my pain and my discomfort and not try to immediately solve it or rationalize it, but just accept it and be there for me. And that was the biggest help.”

While Van Der Beek’s journey is underway, he says he’s feeling good, and after “being out of the woods for a responsible amount of time, I’ll let you know what I think worked.”

In the meantime, he has advice for others going through something similar.

“Miracles do happen – and they happen all the time,” he says. “It’s scary at the beginning. It’s irresistible. Be gentle with yourself. You got this.”

For now, he just feels great gratitude for the love around him. “I’ve really been so blessed with my wife and kids,” he says. “I have something to live for and it’s a beautiful life.”

Peter Yang

For more on James Van Der Beek’s cancer journey, check out the latest issue of PEOPLE magazine, on stands Monday

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Source: HIS Education