NEED TO KNOW
Daniel Curtis Lee is helping his former Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide costar Tylor Chase in a time of need.
Lee, 34, shared updates on Instagram about Curtis, 36, who is experiencing homelessness in California, days after a video of the actor went viral on social media. In the clips, the two men share a meal at a pizza restaurant, then Lee accompanies Chase to a hotel room, where Lee says he’ll stay as he works with others toward a plan for long-term assistance.
The actor then offered an update on Chase’s situation after the visit.
“So, a lot of people have been reaching out, and seeing if I’m still in touch with Tylor since that last TikTok video where I went to visit him,” Lee said in the first Instagram clip he posted. “And, yeah, man, as a matter of fact, I just got off a call with him.”
He then said that communicating with Chase has been “hard,” because “he’ll have a phone one day and then maybe not the next.”
Lee elaborated that he was hoping to form a “trust” to which people could donate funds to help Chase get back on his feet, and was looking into rehabilitation programs that would best suit his needs.
In a second Instagram video, published on Tuesday, Dec. 23, Lee went on to explain that Chase was able to speak with his father over FaceTime, and several of Chase’s former costars are working together to help him get into a facility.
“A lot of you guys are concerned about Tylor Chase this holiday season, and I just wanted to give you an update. Shaun Weiss and his team put a lot of effort into trying to get him into a hospital last night, and I thought it worked. His dad told me it worked, but it turns out he kind of backed out,” Lee explained.
“So they couldn’t get him into a car last night, and that’s why they weren’t able to get him to the hospital,” Lee explained.
“Yeah, it’s the holiday season. It’s raining out, and I just want them to have at least some basic accommodations. He wanted to stay local, and this was the only one that was open and accepted people,” Lee said.
Nickelodeon
“Okay, thank you so much,” Chase replied as Lee hugged him inside the hotel room.
“Give me a hug, man. Love you, brother. Love you, man. So happy to see you, dude,” Lee said. “You’re the man, brother, and I believe in you, and we’re gonna win, bro. All we got to do is stay with it and keep working, dude.”
On Monday, Dec. 22, Weiss — who starred in the Mighty Ducks movies — shared in an Instagram video that he’s received “many messages” about Chase and that he’s taken action.
“I reached out to some friends of mine and we have a bed for him at a detox and we have a place for him to go and get long-term treatment,” Weiss, 47, said, sharing the actor’s apparent location and asking fans to get in touch if they can help.
The actor has previously opened up about his own past experiences with homelessness, as well as addiction, amid his sobriety journey. He shared on an April episode of Pod Meets World that he benefited from “a tremendous amount of support from people” who were invested in his recovery as fans of his acting.
Chase played Martin Qwerly in Ned’s Declassified, which ran for three seasons on Nickelodeon from 2004 to 2007.
Lee and Chase’s other former costars, Devon Werkheiser and Lindsey Shaw, addressed videos “circulating on the internet” of their friend “going through some stuff,” during an episode of Ned’s Declassified Podcast Survival Guide back in September.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“All of us in the Ned’s community are figuring out what it looks like to see him,” Werkheiser, 34, said at the time. “How can we help? What can we do?”
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
If you or someone you know needs mental health help, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.
