Daniel Curtis Lee Tried to Help a Homeless Former Child Star — Hours Later, the Motel Room Was Destroyed

Daniel Curtis Lee says a short attempt to help a former Nickelodeon co-star quickly fell apart and showed how hard it can be to help someone who is deeply unwell.

Lee, who played Cookie on Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide, spoke about the situation after a viral TikTok video brought attention to former child actor Tylor Chase.

The video, first posted in September by a TikTok creator who later spoke about the situation online, showed Chase living on the street and confirming that he once acted on a Nickelodeon show. Viewers were alarmed by his condition, and concern spread fast across social media.

Former Nickelodeon child stars are having a rough one pic.twitter.com/qN95SrxOmJ

— 𓅃 (@FalconryFinance) December 21, 2025

After the video went viral, fans started a GoFundMe to help Chase. According to the TikToker who launched it, the fundraiser collected about $1,200 before Chase’s mother shut it down.

She warned that giving her son money could make his mental health and drug problems worse. The money was instead used to buy food, clothes, and basic supplies.

Lee said he felt compelled to help after seeing the video. He drove from Los Angeles to Riverside, California, to find Chase in person. Lee said he bought him food and paid for a motel room so Chase could stay safe during an incoming storm. Lee later shared details of what happened through public statements and online posts.

@danielcurtislee Happy Holidays. Difficult conversation about Tylor Chase and his recovery journey. #tylorchase #danielcurtislee #nedsdeclassified #shelter #epidemic ♬ original sound – Daniel Curtis Lee

Not long after checking Chase into the motel, Lee said staff contacted him with serious concerns. According to Lee, the room had been badly damaged in just a few hours. He said the door was left open, the refrigerator was turned upside down, and the microwave had been placed inside the bathtub.

Lee said the situation was upsetting but also matched warnings he had received from Chase’s family beforehand.

Lee later explained that the incident made one thing very clear to him. He said helping someone with severe mental illness and addiction takes more than kindness and short-term help. He said professional care over a long period is often the only real option, even though it is hard to make that happen.

Other former child actors also tried to step in. Shaun Weiss, known for playing Greg Goldberg in The Mighty Ducks, publicly offered Chase a bed at a detox center and a chance to start long-term treatment. Weiss shared the offer based on his own experience recovering from addiction, according to reports from entertainment news outlets.

So far, Chase has refused that help. According to statements from Chase’s father, Joseph Mendez Jr., his son has struggled for more than ten years with serious mental health conditions, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, along with substance abuse.

Local authorities in Southern California have confirmed that outreach teams see Chase often and have repeatedly offered shelter, mental health care, and drug treatment. Officials say Chase has declined those services each time.

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