But acting success as a child doesn’t always translate into adult stability. In the years after the show ended, Chase struggled with his transition into life beyond television.
Though he pursued creative outlets — such as posting poetry online and self‑publishing two fantasy novels — underlying issues with mental health and substance use began to surface more clearly.
Over the past several years, local news reports indicate that Chase has been living much of his time on the streets of Riverside, a city in Southern California where his mother lives and where he has local connections and support networks, even as he struggles with instability.
Crisis and Contemporary Life on the Streets
The situation has grown increasingly visible over the past year as multiple videos and encounters were filmed by passersby, often without Chase’s full understanding of what was happening. According to police and reporting:
The Riverside Police Department confirmed that officers see Chase regularly — approximately weekly — and have offered him help dozens of times.
These offers include temporary housing, mental health services, substance abuse treatment, and medical care. He has declined them at every turn, citing personal choice.
Police emphasize that he is not currently wanted for any crimes and that in all interactions he has been polite and cooperative.
Officers in a specialized outreach division encounter him frequently, offering services, water, shelter options, and referrals to care providers, but Chase continues to refuse or walk away.
Local court records also show that Chase has been involved in a number of minor legal cases since mid‑2023, including shoplifting and being under the influence of a controlled substance, though police stress he’s not currently wanted and has complied with officers when approached.
The Public’s Role: Concern or Cruelty?
The reaction online has been complex. Many fans express genuine sorrow — remembering Chase’s character with fond nostalgia and feeling a strange sense of personal connection to someone they watched grow up on television.
Others worry that viral videos and monetized content are turning someone’s very real suffering into fodder for social media views and ad revenue rather than support.
There is an uncomfortable truth here: filming moments of human anguish for entertainment or clicks can cross a line from bearing witness to exploiting pain.
Even when well‑meaning creators intend to raise awareness, there is a risk that the person at the center becomes a subject rather than a human being in crisis — someone whose dignity deserves protection, not performance.
A short‑lived GoFundMe campaign raised more than $1,200 for Chase after the video surfaced, but his mother, Paula Moisio, asked that it be taken down, emphasizing that cash was not what he needed.
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.”
Her comments underscore a painful reality that is often overlooked in viral moments: simply giving money does not address the deeper needs of someone battling mental health and addiction issues, especially when they are unable — or unwilling — to manage those resources themselves.
Voices from His Past: Former Co‑Stars Speak Out
Chase’s situation struck a nerve with more than just online fans — it moved his former Ned’s Declassified co‑stars as well.
Devon Werkheiser, who played Ned Bigby, described Chase as a “sensitive, sweet, and kind kid.” He expressed heartbreak at seeing someone who was once full of promise struggle so visibly.
Werkheiser also voiced frustration at social media users who filmed Chase during vulnerable moments, saying that addiction and mental health struggles are incredibly challenging when someone does not want help.
Another co‑star, Daniel Curtis Lee (who played Simon “Cookie” Nelson‑Cook), has taken a more active role in trying to help.
Lee shared a video of himself reuniting with Chase and offered him food, shelter, and the possibility of long‑term assistance.
Lee helped get Chase into a hotel room for safety during inclement weather and is exploring options to secure stable housing and rehabilitation if Chase chooses to accept it.
Perhaps most notably, Shaun Weiss, known for his role in The Mighty Ducks films and who has publicly navigated his own struggles with addiction and homelessness in the past, publicly offered help to Chase.
Weiss announced on social media that he had secured a detox bed and treatment facility space, urging people to try to locate Chase so he could connect him with care.
Weiss’s involvement highlights how shared experience and empathy can sometimes open doors that others cannot.
Mental Health, Choice, and Complexity
At the heart of Chase’s situation is a stark reality facing many people with severe mental health challenges: help is available, but acceptance is voluntary.
From police outreach teams to co‑stars offering housing, doctors, and structured rehab, every form of support offered to Chase has required his consent. So far, he has refused long‑term treatment and shelter.
This refusal is not uncommon among individuals grappling with serious psychiatric conditions — including bipolar disorder, substance use disorders, and trauma — where distrust of institutions or fear of losing autonomy can make people retreat further into isolation rather than toward help.
Chase himself, in recent interviews and clips shared with reporters, spoke about medication and substances he uses, mentioning both prescribed medications and recreational substances, even denying formal diagnoses despite evidence of ongoing struggles. Continue reading…
