February was a month dominated by poignant celebrity stories—from the tragic passing of beloved “Dawson’s Creek” star James Van Der Beek to the disappearance of “Today” host Savannah Guthrie‘s 84-year-old mother, Nancy, who vanished from her Arizona home on Feb. 1.
Nancy was first reported missing hours after she is believed to have been abducted from her $1 million dwelling in the Catalina Foothills, just outside of Tucson, AZ. Video footage later recovered from her Nest doorbell camera revealed a masked and armed intruder approaching the front door of the home—a man that the local sheriff’s department and FBI are desperately trying to identify.
However, one month on from her disappearance, authorities have yet to name a primary suspect or any persons of interest in the case, prompting Savannah, 54, to offer up a $1 million reward to anyone who can provide information leading to her mother’s return.
Days after that tragic news was revealed, Van Der Beek’s wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, announced that her spouse had died at the age of 48, following a yearslong battle with colorectal cancer.
The actor, who had six children, died at home at the Texas ranch he and his family moved to in 2020. The Van Der Beeks relocated to the Lone Star State from California in a bid to give their kids more opportunity to enjoy nature.
At the time, the couple chose to lease the lush ranch property, with Kimberly previously revealing that they had wanted to test out life in Texas before committing to laying down permanent roots in the area.
However, Realtor.com® exclusively revealed that James officially purchased the ranch for $4.76 million on Jan. 9, just over a month before he died.
The couple purchased the ranch through an LLC, which is managed by a California attorney.
It appears the deal took place off-market, and there is no record of the property being publicly listed before the sale was finalized.
There were also some brighter spots in the month—particularly for gymnast Simone Biles, who revealed that she and her husband, NFL player Jonathan Owens, had finally moved into their custom-built Texas mansion after spending the past few months jetting between the Lone Star State and Chicago, where the sports pro was playing for the Chicago Bears.
The couple, who wed in 2023, will now have ample opportunity to settle into their new digs, with Owens’ future in the NFL currently unclear. It is expected that the safety will enter unrestricted free agency ahead of the 2026 season, meaning he will be open to sign with any team that might seek out his skills.