Stars From Degrassi You Didn't Know Died

There have been a lot of teen dramas that have come and gone over the years, but few have had a grip on their audience the way "Degrassi" has. Throughout those series and years, many actors have embodied characters that have changed the discussion on certain issues. Fans grew really deep connections with the characters and therefore the show's stars. It's for that reason that the "Degrassi" fandom, spanning generations like the show, is hard-hit by losses among the show's cast.

The long-running franchise all started in 1980 with the first series "The Kids of Degrassi Street." It explored the ever-changing lives of a diverse group of kids from the same Toronto neighborhood. Some of the characters from "The Kids of Degrassi Street" moved on with the franchise as it transitioned "Degrassi Junior High." From the 1980s to 2016, the show would evolve to "Degrassi High," take a hiatus before "Degrassi: The Next Generation," and come to an end with "Degrassi: Next Class."

Sadly, some stars from "Degrassi" have died, but their contributions to the show surely still affect viewers today.

Neil Hope played Griff on "Kids of Degrassi Street" and later portrayed Derek "Wheels" Wheeler on "Degrassi Junior High, "Degrassi High," and "Degrassi: The Next Generation" (per IMDb). His character went through a great deal on the series. Wheels was adopted and later lost his adoptive parents when they died in a car accident by a drunk driver. Wheels struggled to deal with it, finding himself in different trouble throughout the series. It all came to a head when he drove drunk and killed a child, leading to jail time. Hope made an appearance on "Degrassi: The Next Generation" that showed Wheels after jail. He had served his time, made amends with others, and was there to support his old friends.

In real life, Hope grew up with alcoholic parents who were divorced. He moved on from acting to blue-collar work and was reportedly struggling with money troubles at the time of his death. Just four years after his final "Degrassi" appearance, on November 25, 2007, Hope was found dead in his room at a Hamilton rooming house by his landlord (per The Toronto Star). At the time, he'd been dead of a heart attack for more than a week. He was 35 years old. 

Even more shocking, friends and family members weren't alerted to his death until nearly five years later in 2012 (per The Washington Post). Shortly thereafter, the news went public.

R.D. "Bob" Reid was a Canadian character actor who saw a lot of different roles during his lifetime. Reid had a pretty big career in film, starring in movies like "Dawn of the Dead," "A History of Violence, "Cinderella Man," and "Lars and The Real Girl" (per IMDb). He went on to be in a number of other popular series, with some geared toward kids, such as "Goosebumps" and "The Famous Jett Jackson." 

One of Reid's early roles, of course, was a recurring role on "The Kids of Degrassi Street" as Don Canard, father to Noel and Lisa. Lisa was played by Stacie Mistysyn, who becomes a major figure later in the "Degrassi" franchise as Caitlin Ryan (per Sudbury.com).

His final role was in the television series "Killjoys" in 2016. On June 20, 2017, Reid died in his Toronto home, as reported by the Toronto Star. Details of the "Degrassi" star's death were not shared publicly.