When someone dies FIVE YEARS ago, how do we not know till now?

News broke on Thursday that actor Neil Hope, who achieved fame on the iconic Canadian after-school program Degrassi Junior High, Degrassi High and Degrassi: The Next Generation is dead — and has been for five years.

While several news outlets are reporting that news of Hope’s death was made official on Thursday (Feb. 16), its being reported his date of death as Nov. 25, 2007, and indicated he died of natural causes.

Hope reportedly died in Hamilton at age 35.

Hope was born Sept. 24, 1972, in Toronto. His parents were alcoholics — his Degrassi character also struggled with alcoholism — and Hope was candid about his struggle with his parents’ addictions growing up, encouraging teens to speak up and seek help in a 1992 series called Degrassi Talks, which featured the show’s actors discussing issues such as safe sex and addiction. Hope himself struggled with alcohol addiction after the filming of the documentary The Dark Side, which focused on the death of his father.

Degrassi Star Stefan Brogren (Snake) exclusivly spoke to KiSS 92.5 about when he found out, his thoughts on Wheels and being on Degrassi