Neil Hope, Degrassi’s “Wheels,” has apparently been dead for five years
A young Hope (left) as Derek "Wheels" Wheeler on "Degrassi Junior High."
Neil Hope, the Canadian actor best known for playing Robin “Griff” Griffith on The Kids Of Degrassi Street and later Derek “Wheels” Wheeler on Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High has died. And according to the short obituary posted today to Toronto.com—associated with the Toronto Star—Hope apparently died some five years ago, Nov. 25, 2007 in Hamilton, Ontario, due to natural causes.
The obit offers no apparent source, but we have traced the information back to an edit made to the Degrassi Wiki by user EmberRose17 at 2:31 a.m. this morning, Feb. 16. There is also a post on the television blog TVRage, dated from this morning, in which Hope’s fiancée, Christina Boulard, offered 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.”
So far we’ve had no luck contacting either EmberRose17 or Boulard in attempt to confirm any of these statements. But we’ll keep you posted as details become available.
UPDATE (1:18 p.m.): This has now been confirmed. Stephen Stohn, producer of the current Degrassi series, has Tweeted his condolences. Thanks to Huffington Post Canada for getting to the bottom of this.
