All my (original) Degrassi peeps....

misskerouac

It's a sad day for us...


Degrassi star Wheels, a.k.a. actor Neil Hope, reported to have died five years ago.

News broke on Thursday that actor Neil Hope, who achieved fame on the iconic Canadian after-school program Degrassi Junior High, Degrassi High and Degrassi: The Next Generation is dead — and has been for five years.

While several news outlets are reporting that news of Hope’s death was made official on Thursday (Feb. 16), the public Facebook group “Let’s Bring The Real Neil Hope (“Wheels” from Degrassi)” features a confirmation of the actor’s death from Hope’s sister-in-law, Tracy Northrup Hope, dated Jan. 12, 2012. At that time, Tracy reported his date of death as Nov. 25, 2007, and indicated he died of natural causes.

Hope reportedly died in Hamilton at age 35. The actor’s fiancee, Christina Boulard, has 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.”

Stephen Stohn, Degrassi’s executive producer, also released a statement, via Twitter:

Stephen Stohn@stephenstohn
We have respected the privacy of the family by not saying anything until now, but our entire team is very emotional about his passing
16 Feb 12 ReplyRetweetFavorite
Hope was born Sept. 24, 1972, in Toronto. His parents were alcoholics — his Degrassi character also struggled with alcoholism — and Hope was candid about his struggle with his parents’ addictions growing up, encouraging teens to speak up and seek help in a 1992 series called Degrassi Talks, which featured the show’s actors discussing issues such as safe sex and addiction. Hope himself struggled with alcohol addiction after the filming of the documentary The Dark Side, which focused on the death of his father.

Hope’s last acting role was on a 2003 episode of Degrassi: The Next Generation called “Should I Stay or Should I Go?”

A memorial website to Hope has been created by web designer Einat Razin, reportedly “with permission from Tracy Northrup Hope (Neil’s brother Danny’s wife)”.

Further details will be added as they become available.

therealangd

I've just been reading about that.

Very sad.

misskerouac

SO sad, AT 35!!! That's so young.
This was more shocking to me this morning honestly than Whitney Houston (not saying that wasn't sad)
But i'm a Canadian nerd who loves her Degrassi.

living_loving_laughing2013

Wow, this is really sad, I loved him and his jean jackets!!

misskerouac

Wow, this is really sad, I loved him and his jean jackets!!

And his big mullet.