Former Nickelodeon child star Tylor Chase, who was found disheveled and homeless on the streets of Los Angeles, struggles with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia — but refuses to get help, according to his father.
Chase, 36, starred in “Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide” on the popular kids’ channel in the early 2000s, but a heartbreaking video, initially posted in September but has since gone viral, shows how his life has taken a dark turn.
The former child actor’s dad, Joseph Mendez Jr., said he has struggled for over a decade with mental illness and substance abuse.
“He’s a wonderful person when he’s Tylor,” Mendez told the Daily Mail.
“For over a decade, the family has sought treatment options for Tylor, including support for substance use as well as mental health care,” he added.
Chase has been struggling with addiction since he was diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in 2015, according to Mendez, who is a realtor in Georgia.
The family convinced Chase to enter rehab in Georgia around 2021, but eventually he rejected the treatment plan, according to Mendez.
“He [Chase] later chose to discontinue medication and resumed substance use,” Mendez explained.
After the failed recovery, Mendez explained that Chase returned to California to be closer to his mother, Paula Moisio, a realtor in the Los Angeles area.
On Monday, the Daily Mail found Chase digging in the dirt behind a 7/11 in Riverside, a city about an hour outside of LA. Chase denied having any mental illness, but told reporters he is taking Prozac, Adderall, Sudafed, Wellbutrin and Zoloft, which were prescribed by a psychiatrist.
Chase was caked in dirt, shuffling and growling at the sky, while wearing tattered clothes, the outlet said.
Riverside court records seen by the Daily Mail list 12 criminal cases against Chase since 2023, including for shoplifting and substance use, but police said the child actor isn’t wanted for any crime.
Riverside cops have maintained contact with Chase through the Public Safety Engagement team, but say he consistently refuses shelter or other help.
“His family has been trying for many years to get him the support he needs, but ultimately, he must be willing to accept help,” Mendez said.
On Monday, Chase said he regularly receives support from his mother but is planning to return to Georgia soon.
“I’m not really active homeless at this time, I’m thinking that I would like to go see my dad, relatively shortly, in the state of Georgia,” Chase said.
“I have the whole setup to stay out there, a room out there hopefully […] Probably a housing assistance program in Georgia most likely.”
