Warning: This article contains discussion of drug addiction which some readers may find distressing.
A former child actor who starred on a popular Nickelodeon show was taken into hospital on Christmas Day, after a video appearing to show him living on the streets went viral on TikTok.
The video shows an influencer approaching a dishevelled man who appears to be homeless, with the caption 'POV: You run into a former child star'. The man pictured wearing tattered clothes was Tylor Chase, who played Martin Qwerly for a three-year run in Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide.
Chase's situation was confirmed as being more complicated by his father and local officers, with drug addiction leading the 36-year-old to refuse offers of help and housing from Riverside California Police as well as his family members.
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But the former child star's desperate situation took a dramatic turn on Christmas Day, after an on the street assessment confirmed he needed 'immediate help', and hospitalized him for a three-day detox.
The former Nickelodeon actor's future was said to be 'looking bright' after the incident, which has followed a lengthy campaign to get Chase to accept help and treatment for his addiction.
Content creator Jake Harris was called in by Chase's father to assist with the efforts to get his son help, with the influencer finding the right intervention to get the 36-year-old off the streets.
He championed the major step forward in his care on Christmas Day, sharing on Instagram that 'we finally got Tylor the help he needed.' Harris also shared more about his care, saying: "He’s currently receiving medical attention to get him healthy, to get him all better."
A team of specialists were called in to assess Chase's state and the best steps to help him on the road to recovery. Harris told the Daily Mail: “I was able to finally get ahold of a crisis center that would come out and do a same-day evaluation.
“They determined he needed immediate help and brought him to a local hospital for 72-hour treatment.”
This positive development has followed a spike in interest about Chase's complicated living situation in recent months. Following the viral TikTok video, dad Joseph Mendez Jr said his son was a 'wonderful person' but had struggled with drugs for some time.
This positive development has followed a spike in interest about Chase's complicated living situation in recent months. Following the viral TikTok video, dad Joseph Mendez Jr said his son was a 'wonderful person' but had struggled with drugs for some time.
He told the Mail: “For over a decade, the family has sought treatment options for Tylor, including support for substance use as well as mental health care.”
Multiple attempts at rehabilitation had failed in recent years, with Chase choosing a life on the streets after failing to kick his addiction despite the interventions from his loved ones and former co-stars.
“His family has been trying for many years to get him the support he needs, but ultimately, he must be willing to accept help,” his father shared.
A fundraiser set up to help Chase after his situation went viral soon gathered interest, but its organizer soon received a text from the former star's mother, asking them to not give him any money.
"Money would not benefit him. I have gotten him several phones, but he loses them within a day or two. He can’t manage money or his meds by himself," his mom shared.
Chase himself spoke about his difficulties to the publication at the time, saying: "It's not really like that, I have friends and family. I stay around here locally. My mom is here. I have a lot of good people helping me.
"It's not too shabby. A lot of people help out. It goes a long way. I have family and friends, and the housing shelter assistance program. There's graceful charity from the grace of God's family people. That's a pretty chill aspect of it all."
But after an hour-long conversation with influencer Harris, who worked with Chase's friend Shaun Weiss of The Mighty Ducks fame, the former child actor agreed to get help.
“He said that Tylor seemed to be very receptive to getting treatment and to the idea of going into a detox,” Harris shared in a joyful Christmas update.
If you want friendly, confidential advice about drugs, you can call American Addiction Centers on (313) 209-9137 24/7, or contact them through their website.
William Morgan