Unconditional Love and the Need for Help
His wife Kimberley's unwavering support has been a source of strength during this difficult period. As he shared, "She's been amazing. She's really taught me what unconditional love is." It was a revelation for him to realize the importance of asking for help and receiving it. In the past, he was someone who always tried to do everything for everyone but now finds himself in a different position. This experience has shown him the beauty of having people in his life show up for him.He continued, "I'm someone who has always in the past tried to do everything for everybody and never asked for help myself and this has put me in a position of having to ask for help but having to receive help. And the beautiful blessing of that has been seeing how many people in my life have shown up." This realization has likely changed his perspective on life and relationships.
Health Update and Emotional Rollercoaster
Earlier in the interview, Beek shared a health update. After being diagnosed with colorectal cancer last summer, he said, "Physically, I'm great. I'm feeling really good. Emotionally, you know, it's a lot. It's really a ride." The reality of his diagnosis and the changes it brought to his life were a shock at first.Speaking about his reaction to learning of his cancer diagnosis, he said, "I was honestly in shock … I had a whole agenda for what I thought my year would be and what I thought my priorities would be … and the reality that all of that was going to change and take a different trajectory — it felt like a nightmare honestly at first." But he quickly realized the potential for positive change.
Finding Hope and Purpose
Despite the initial fear and upset, Beek said, "as soon as I got diagnosed, I knew this is going to add many happy years to my life." He saw this as an opportunity to make changes that he never would have made otherwise.He recalled, "I'm going to make changes that I never would have made otherwise, that I'm gonna look back on thirty years and say, 'Thank God this happened.' So what can I do right now in order to make that the case," and added that about 10% of the time he was a sobbing, terrified mess. But overall, he has embraced this journey with a positive attitude.
Bringing Awareness and Gratitude
The Dawson's Creek alum believes there is a purpose to sharing his story and bringing more awareness to colorectal cancer. He has been open about his diagnosis with PEOPLE and has been taking steps to resolve it with the support of his family.Beek's Thanksgiving post was a reflection of his gratitude for the tough year. He wrote, "It's been a tough year… and I'm thankful for all of it." This shows his ability to find gratitude even in the midst of a challenging situation.
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