Nickelodeon Star Tylor Chase's Parents Speak Out About His Homelessness

Once a bubbly, fast-talking sidekick adored by millions, he's now a heartbreaking shadow of his former self, wandering the streets with dirt-caked fingers and clutching discarded Christmas cards.

Nearly two decades after playing the over-prepared hall monitor who had everything figured out on "Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide," Tylor Chase is back in the spotlight.

But this time, it is not on a Hollywood set. It is through the lens of strangers' camera phones, as he walks the streets of Riverside, California, looking lost, worn down, and unmistakably in crisis.

A Shocking Fall: 'He's Not Homeless,' He Insists

Chase, now 36, was recently tracked down by Daily Mail reporters in Riverside, California, where he was spotted rifling through the dirt behind a 7-Eleven.

His appearance was shocking: a torn purple jacket, an oversized Raiders polo, and pants adorned with a worn patch from "Rugrats." His hands were visibly blistered, grimy, and cut.

Yet despite his surroundings, Chase appeared animated, fixated on a pile of old holiday cards. "They're very beautiful. I just like to cherish the idea of them, I would say," he said. "I get excited, festive, merry spirit. It seems like it is time to celebrate pretty soon."

While clearly struggling, Chase insisted he was not homeless and claimed he was surrounded by support.

'Grace of God's Family People': Tylor's Version vs. Reality

Chase described a life guided by what he called divine generosity. "I have family and friends, and the housing shelter assistance program," he shared. "There's graceful charity from the grace of God's family people. That's a pretty chill aspect of it all. It's a true privilege, obviously."

He spoke of a possible return to Georgia, where his father resides. "I have the whole setup to stay out there, a room out there hopefully... Probably a housing assistance program in Georgia, most likely," he said. "I'm not really active homeless at this time."

Chase openly admitted to using marijuana and vaping, and listed a cocktail of prescription drugs — Prozac, Adderall, Sudafed, Wellbutrin, and Zoloft — which he claimed were prescribed by a psychiatrist. He denied any official mental health diagnosis.

But his father, Joseph Mendez Jr, tells a different story, one filled with heartbreak and years of unanswered pleas for help. "He's a wonderful person when he's Tylor," his father told reporters.

"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. "In addition to addiction, Tylor has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, which require consistent medical treatment."

Chase once received help in Georgia and made real progress, according to his father, until it all unraveled. "While there was progress for a time, he later chose to discontinue medication and resumed substance use," he said.

'He Refuses Help': Mother Speaks Through a Stranger

Chase's mother, Paula Moisio, a Riverside-based realtor, declined to speak directly to reporters. But her words would soon surface through an Instagram user named Citlalli Wilson — the woman who had encountered Chase in September and launched a GoFundMe campaign on his behalf.

In text messages later posted by Wilson, Moisio explained why she asked for the fundraiser to be taken down.

"Tylor needs medical attention, not money. But he refuses it," she wrote. "I appreciate your effort. But money would not be a benefit to him. I have gotten him several phones, but he loses them within a day or two. He can't manage money for his meds by himself."

The campaign had raised approximately $1200 before being removed at Moisio's request. Court records show Chase has been arrested 12 times in Riverside County since August 2023, eight times this year alone.

His most recent charges include petty theft and being under the influence of a controlled substance. Warrants have been issued in both cases.

'Cordial and Cooperative': Police Speak as the Public Watches

According to Riverside Police spokesperson Ryan Railsback, Chase is not currently wanted for any crime. "During all of our interactions, he has been cordial and cooperative with our officers," Railsback said.

Railsback added that while they do not know how long Chase has been experiencing homelessness, the department's Public Safety Engagement Team checks on him weekly and continues to offer services, including temporary housing.

But this tragic descent into instability has been years in the making. After relocating to Riverside around seven to nine years ago, Chase started posting video content of poetry readings and chapter narrations on YouTube, last active in October 2021.

As concern continues to grow, much of the public response has been driven by viral videos that have raised difficult questions about visibility, intent, and the limits of online compassion.

When a Familiar Face Reappears in Crisis

In one viral clip, the former Nickelodeon actor is seen wearing a battered Los Angeles Raiders polo, clutching the waistband of his equally battered jeans to keep them from falling.

The person filming asks if he was on Disney Channel. Chase, foggy but polite, corrects them, saying, "Nickelodeon." When asked which show, he responds clearly: "'Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide.'"

The clip spread fast, triggering an outpouring of emotion from longtime fans. Comments included, "This just broke my heart," "My heart just shattered," and "This is what Hollywood does to children."

Another clip shows him more animated, still disheveled, engaging with a passerby who offers him money. Chase tries to hand over his watch in exchange, an unnecessary gesture, but telling. The man gives him $20 anyway.

A Once-Rising Star Now Caught in a Cycle He Can't Escape

Chase was born on September 6, 1989, in Arizona. Along with his breakout role on Nickelodeon, he appeared in "Everybody Hates Chris" and "Good Time Max." His baby-faced charm made him a fan favorite, but those early wins now stand in painful contrast to his current state.

The Riverside Police Department confirmed that Chase isn't a criminal, but just a man in crisis. Officers see him nearly every week, offering help he consistently refuses.

He's been offered mental health care, temporary housing, and addiction support, all of which he continues to decline. Police say he remains cooperative and cordial, but ultimately, it is his decision whether to accept help.

His Former Co-Star Speaks and His Mother Pleads

The videos struck a nerve with Chase's former co-star Devon Werkheiser, who played Ned Bigby on "Ned's Declassified." Speaking to TMZ, Devon said, "Tylor was a sensitive, sweet, and kind kid. It is heartbreaking to see him this way."

He also expressed frustration with social media users filming Chase for content. "I haven't seen Tylor in almost 20 years. Addiction and mental health struggles are unbelievably challenging if they don't want help," he shared.

But Is Filming Him Helping or Just Feeding a Cruel Loop?

There's no easy way to frame what happens in a situation such as Chase's. It's hard to know what to make of viral concern, especially when it involves someone in visible distress. On the surface, the attention surrounding Chase could be seen as a lifeline.

Such visibility can create urgency. It can draw the right person at the right time, someone with the power to actually help. But there's also something deeply uncomfortable about it.

About the way his lowest moments are being filmed, posted, and shared for views, as if awareness alone is the solution. Even when people mean well, there's a fine line between witnessing and consuming, and it's not always clear which side of that line we're on.

Chase's pain and suffering have become public property. Werkheiser voiced that discomfort directly. Still, he hopes the attention could lead to something positive.

"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," he said.

The Verdict: This Isn't a Fall but a Failure to Catch

There's no shocking twist to chase here. Just a man unraveling in plain sight. Chase doesn't need pity clicks or pocket change. He needs sustained, trauma-informed support, access to long-term treatment, and protection from being filmed like a sideshow.

What's most tragic is that he isn't resisting help because he's selfish or unaware. He's doing what so many people with severe mental illness and addiction do: surviving moment to moment in a world that's decided that's enough.

And for the people who once watched him beam across their TV screens, the very people now reposting him in shame or sorrow, the question should no longer be "What happened?" but "What are we doing about it now?"