FIVE years ago… dang… Obviously “wheels” had some issues. RIP to the Degrassi Junior High… and Degrassi High star…
http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/degrassi-actor-neil-hope-died-years-ago-15727934
Actor Neil Hope, who starred as Derek “Wheels” Wheeler on the popular 1980s TV series “Degrassi Junior High” and had little contact with relatives and friends in his final years, died alone in an Ontario rooming house in 2007, his former fiance confirmed Friday.
Ex-fiance Christina Boulard said Hope’s family spent years trying to track him down after hearing rumors of his passing several years ago, but only learned last month from police in Hamilton, Ontario, that he had died.
Boulard said the former star of Canada’s groundbreaking “Degrassi” series died on Nov. 25, 2007, of “natural causes” at the age of 35 but declined to elaborate, only saying Hope was diabetic.
Boulard, who last saw Hope in 2002, said it was not unusual for him to cut ties with friends and family for sometimes a year at a time.
“Neil was a very private person. He didn’t have the best life, there were times when he would go a while without seeing or talking to his family,” Boulard said.
She said she is angry that police took so long to inform Hope’s relatives of his death. He apparently had not listed a next-of-kin in any official documents, she said, adding she doubted that was true.
“He deserved better and so did his family,” Boulard said.
Hamilton Police Service Sgt. Terri-Lynn Collings said Friday that the force doesn’t comment on “sudden death investigations where there’s no suspicion of any foul play.”