Fundraiser for widow and children of James Van Der Beek surpasses $500,000 goal within hours

The Dawson's Creek star, who died on Tuesday aged 48, had been open about struggling to meet the high expenses of his cancer treatment

A GoFundMe set up to support the widow and children of actor James Van Der Beek has passed its initial goal of $500,000 within hours of being created - and has now been updated to a goal of $1m.

Van Der Beek, best known for his role as sensitive teen Dawson Leery on the TV series Dawson's Creek, died on Tuesday aged 48 after a battle with bowel cancer.