"Degrassi's" Neil Hope (Wheels) Died Back in 2007

[JamesG]

"Degrassi" Actor Neil Hope Revealed to Have Died in 2007
Feb 16, 2012
by Kate Stanhope


News broke Thursday that "Degrassi" star Neil Hope has been dead for five years, Canada's National Post reports.

Several sites reported that Hope's death was made official on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2012. However, a public Facebook group dedicated to the actor, "Let's Bring The Real Neil Hope ("Wheels" from Degrassi) to Facebook", features a confirmation of Hope's death from his sister-in-law, Tracy Northup Hope.

It is dated Jan. 12 of this year in which she writes that the actor died from natural causes on Nov. 25, 2007. He would have 35 at the time of his death.





Hope's fiancée, Christina Boulard, also released the following statement:

"The family regrets to announce that Neil passed away in Hamilton, Ontario on November 25, 2007 of natural causes. There was some confusion regarding his passing that they do not wish to go public with, which is why they are only announcing his death now to the public and the media."

She also wrote on the Facebook page that a memorial was being planned for May.





"Degrassi" executive producer Stephen Stohn tweeted Thursday about Hope's passing.

"We have respected the privacy of the family by not saying anything until now, but our entire team is very emotional about his passing."







Born in Toronto in 1972, Hope rose to fame in the 1980s for his role as 'Wheels' on "Degrassi Junior High", "Degrassi High" and "Degrassi: The Next Generation".

He also appeared in the 1992 series "Degrassi Talks" where he spoke about his struggle with his parents' alcohol addiction. Hope later struggled with alcohol addiction himself following the death of his father, according to the National Post.

His final appearance on "Degrassi: The Next Generation" was in 2003.

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Neil-Hope-Dead-1043472.aspx

[MickeyMac]

This is the Degrassi I used to watch all the time. He has been gone for five years and nobody knew about it. So, so sad

[DawnShadow]

This is terribly sad news At the time it didn't really affect me as I was only a fan of TNG and only saw him in 2 episodes. Now I've gone back and watched the original Degrassi series I really see what an amazing actor and character Neil was

[TMC]

He was the boy-next-door of the 1980s, capturing millions of hearts as "Wheels" on the groundbreaking series Degrassi. But behind the blinding studio lights and international fame, Neil Hope was fighting a desperate battle for psychological survival. This is the dark, untold truth of a child star who spent his life running from his family's generational curse, only to be consumed by it. From global stardom to an anonymous pauper's grave, discover the tragic reality the television industry tried to bury.