The father of Nickelodeon star Tylor Chase has shared details about the mental health history of the 36-year-old actor, who went from stardom to a life of homelessness.
Chase famously played Martin Qwerly in the Nickelodeon series Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide in the 2000s.
The actor sparked concern about his wellbeing in September after he was seen in a fragile state in Riverside, California.
Highlights
- Joseph Mendez, the father of former Nickelodeon actor Tylor Chase, spoke about the reasons his son is living on the streets.
- Chase starred in ‘Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide’, playing Martin Qwerly from 2004 to 2007.
- The former child star was recently seen experiencing homelessness in Riverside, California.
Image credits: Nickelodeon
After videos of Chase living on the streets went viral, he received help from a former co-star, Daniel Curtis Lee, who checked him into a hotel.
Influencer LetHallAllli, one of the people who spotted Chase, also launched a GoFundMe page for the former child star. After raising $1,207, LetHallAllli bought him new clothes and shoes and filmed herself giving him the new items, as well as washing his hair.
However, the influencer shut down the fundraiser a week later, claiming Chase’s mother had contacted her and told her that her son has issues with managing money.
Image credits: ricecrackerspov
Speaking with The Daily Mail, Chase’s father, Joseph Mendez Jr., revealed that the family has been trying to get mental health support for the 36-year-old for over ten years.
Chase, whose legal name is Tylor Kurtis Mendez, has been struggling with substance dependence, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia since before 2015, according to his father.
Chase’s father, Joseph, said the 36-year-old refuses to accept help
“He's a wonderful person when he's Tylor,” the 60-year-old realtor told the outlet on Wednesday (December 24).
“For over a decade, the family has sought treatment options for Tylor, including support for substance use as well as mental health care.”
Joseph said his son entered a rehab facility in 2021, but progress was limited.
“While there was progress for a time, he later chose to discontinue medication and resumed substance use,” he explained.
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The actor has since moved from Georgia, where his father lives, to California to be closer to his mother, “in hopes of stabilizing his situation.”
However, Joseph maintained that Chase continues to refuse treatment for his mental health issues.
Image credits: Nickelodeon
The father also shared that he had spoken with former Disney actor Shaun Weiss, who pledged to help Chase check into rehab after overcoming his own battle with substance dependence.
“We have spoken with Shaun Weiss and are working together in an effort to help Tylor,” Mendez added.
“His family has been trying for many years to get him the support he needs, but ultimately, he must be willing to accept help.”
The 60-year-old stressed that his son is “deeply loved” by his friends and family, who remain “hopeful” that his situation will improve and that he will accept the help being offered to him.
Image credits: Linkedin
Daniel Curtis Lee, who played “Cookie” in Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, intervened this week to help his former colleague.
Lee took to Instagram to post a video of himself reuniting with Chase on the streets of California.
After sharing a warm embrace, Lee took his fellow Nickelodeon alum to eat pizza at a nearby restaurant. They also FaceTimed Ned’s Declassified co-star, Devon Werkheiser, who played the titular character.
One of Chase’s co-stars, Daniel Curtis Lee, recently checked him into a hotel room
Image credits: danielcurtislee
The video ended with Lee checking Chase into a hotel and discussing the possibility of helping the actor enter a rehab facility.
“Well fed and safe from the rain. Hotel secured! One step closer to long term treatment,” Lee captioned the Instagram clip.
Additionally, Lee revealed that he helped Chase get in touch with his father. “Love is all we can really give people sometimes, and I’m happy that he was able to have that connection with his pops.”
Werkheiser, who played Ned Bigby in the show that ran from 2004 to 2007, remembered Chase as a “sensitive, sweet, and kind kid.”
Image credits: danielcurtislee
“Anyone who has dealt with severe add*ction and deep mental health issues knows it’s an unbelievably challenging situation if they don’t want help,” he said.
Werkheiser added that he hopes the visibility of Chase’s condition may lead to a change.
“My only hope is that from this exposure, someone with real understanding and resources can step in, get Tylor into treatment, and help him get back on track. We all want a happy ending.”
Riverside Police said they offer Chase temporary shelter options once a week
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Riverside Police said Chase has consistently declined shelter, substance dependence treatment, or mental health services offered by the department's outreach division, as per The Daily Mail.
The 36-year-old has faced 12 criminal cases since August 2023, most recently for alleged shoplifting and being under the influence of a controlled substance.
Police stated that the troubled star has been “cordial and cooperative” with authorities and is not currently being investigated for any crimes.
The Riverside Police Department’s Public Safety Engagement Team contacts Chase at least once a week to offer “a variety of resources, including assistance with temporary shelter options,” but he continues to refuse treatment, authorities said.
Image credits: lethallalli
Speaking with The Daily Mail in Riverside, Chase denied being diagnosed with a serious mental health condition, but mentioned that he takes a variety of medications that were allegedly prescribed to him.
He also shared that he regularly sees his mother and expressed a desire to reunite with his father in Georgia.
“I'm not really active homeless at this time," the actor explained. "I'm thinking that I would like to go see my dad, relatively shortly, in the state of Georgia. I have the whole setup to stay out there, a room out there hopefully [...] Probably a housing assistance program in Georgia, most likely.”
On Christmas morning, Lee shared an update about his former co-star, revealing that he had trashed his hotel room before returning to the streets.
Chase has since been hospitalized after a crisis center determined that he needed "immediate help."
"Add him to the long list of Nickelodeon casualties. Tragic," one user commented
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