'Degrassi' star Neil Hope died in 2007

Actor Neil Hope, who starred as Derek "Wheels" Wheeler round the popular eighties TV series "Degrassi Junior High" combined with little reference to relatives and pals within the final years, died alone inside an Ontario rooming house in 2007, his former fiance confirmed. Ex-fiance Christina Boulard mentioned Hope's family spent years trying to trace him lower after hearing gossips of his passing previously only learned lately from police in Hamilton, Ontario, he died. Boulard mentioned the prior star of Canada's groundbreaking "Degrassi" series died on November. 25, 2007, of natural causes at 35 but declined to elaborate, stating that Hope was diabetic. Hope was among "Degrassi's" earliest stars, turning up as Griff round the first installment, "The Kids of Degrassi Street," in 1979. On "Degrassi Junior High," which went from 1987-91 on PBS inside the U.S., he referred to the troubled Derek Wheeler -- known to as "Wheels" -- who fought with alcoholism. The actor was candid regarding their own difficult childhood maturing with alcoholic parents. "Degrassi Junior High" was acclaimed due to its realistic portrayal of subjects for instance substance abuse, child abuse, teen pregnancy, homophobia, racism and divorce. The show adopted the lives of teens who eventually graduated to "Degrassi High," another version in the show. Hope later guest starred on "Degrassi: Generation XInch in 2001 and 2003, but nuances of his final years were scarce. "Degrassi Junior High" creator Linda Schuyler mentioned she was "terribly saddened to hear what is the news.In . "Neil made an important contribution towards the lives, for the lives within our television team that are as being a family to us as well as for the lives of many Canadians while others around the globe who've been impacted by Neil as well as the roles he carried out, beginning at first of 'The Kids of Degrassi Street,'" Schuyler mentioned in the joint statement with executive producer Stephen Stohn. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com