Neil Hope

Philip Neil Hope (24 September 1972 – c. 18 November 2007 ), better known and credited as Neil Hope, was a Canadian actor who was best known for portraying Derek "Wheels" Wheeler on the CBC teen drama series Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High from 1987 to 1991, and Robin "Griff" Griffiths in The Kids of Degrassi Street from 1985 to 1986.

Hope was born on 24 September 1972, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the fourth son and fifth child of his family.

His parents struggled with alcoholism and had an unstable relationship, which led to their separation.

He and his siblings often moved back and forth from their mother to their father.

Hope had a good relationship with his father, whom he felt was supportive and loved him and his siblings.

Hope attended the Etobicoke School of the Arts.

Hope often watched television with his father and siblings for dinner, which sparked an interest in television production.

He took a television training course, paid for by his father, and had professional promotional photos taken of himself.

Hope made his acting debut in The Kids of Degrassi Street episode "Martin Meets The Pirates".

Hope told interviewers that television had been an escape from his problems, and being involved in the medium made that escape a reality.

Hope played the role of Robin "Griff" Griffiths in The Kids of Degrassi Street from 1985 to 1986.

Recalling his audition for Degrassi Street, Schuyler described the "huge vulnerability emanating from Neil’s gentle grey eyes, his distinct gravelly voice, and his overall physical appeal".

After Degrassi Street, Hope played the role of Derek "Wheels" Wheeler on the teen drama series Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High from 1987 to 1991.

In his obituary for Hope, Paul Vitello of The New York Times wrote that "all [the series'] characters portrayed teenagers confronting crises over issues like sexual abuse, racism, unwanted pregnancy and AIDS, but the troubles dealt Wheels made him the Job of the cast"; in the series, Wheels' adoptive parents are murdered by a drunk driver.

He later discovers his biological mother is dead, and that his biological father has shunned him.

The character later starts drinking himself, which leads to a drunk driving incident in which he kills a young child; Wheels is incarcerated for manslaughter.

Hope's father died in 1987 aged 72 from complications caused by diabetes and cirrhosis, consequences of his alcohol abuse; Hope found his body in his home kitchen.

The original Degrassi series was non-union, and its cast were no longer paid regularly when it ended in the early 1990s, even as the series continued to see success in re-runs and syndication in over 50 countries.

Christina Boulard, Hope's ex-fiancée, told media: "It made him so upset that they worked so hard on Degrassi and even years later, a whole new generation was watching it in reruns and the cast wasn't getting a dime".

At the time of his death, Hope's only income was a disability cheque.

Hope was described as a drifter in his later years.

Cast members had lost touch with him in the years since the end of the series; when a reunion took place on the CBC TV series Jonovision, Hope was absent.

After Degrassi High concluded in 1991, Hope struggled with alcoholism and diabetes, and often lacked money.

In 1994, Hope was also diagnosed with diabetes and required four insulin injections per day.

Hope met Christina Boulard when the two both worked at the financial service Money Mart in 1998.

His family described him as being at his most happy with Boulard, and he proposed to her in 2000.

He also reprised the role of Wheels for two episodes of Degrassi: The Next Generation in 2001 and 2003.

He later reprised the role for two episodes of Degrassi: The Next Generation in 2001 and 2003.

The marriage was mutually called off in 2001, at which point Hope became more distant from family.

Hope was a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Warren Zevon.

His parents both struggled with alcoholism, and he was outspoken on his own problems with drinking.

He discussed his parents' alcoholism in an episode of the documentary series Degrassi Talks. Hope also made a documentary called The Darker Side about the children of alcoholic parents, which featured contributions from his co-stars Bill Parrott and Rebecca Haines.

He kept sporadic contact with his family until 2005.

When host Jonathan Torrens asked the cast about whether they were still in touch with Hope, all of them admitted they weren't. His family stated that he continued to call and visit occasionally up until 2005.

His final public appearance was in the CTV documentary The Degrassi Story, hosted by co-star Stefan Brogren, who interviewed him in Windsor.

Hope later moved to Hamilton, where stayed at a Salvation Army shelter for two nights in 2006.

He was found dead in a rooming house on November 25, 2007, with his family, ex-castmates, and the public unaware of his death until nearly five years later, in early 2012; Hope was 35 at the time of his death.

In early November 2007, Hope visited Cheapies Records & Tapes, a music store in Hamilton that he often frequented.

He was wearing an eyepatch and was incoherent.

Employee Scott Bell said that it was the last time he saw Hope.