Derek Wheeler

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Derek Wheeler
First appearance Kiss me Steph
Last appearance School's out
Statistics
Nickname(s) Derek Michael Nelson (birth name)
Status Single
Year of Birth 1972 (age 35)
Family parents
Portrayed by Neil Hope

Derek Wheeler, aka Wheels, is a fictional character on the Degrassi series played by Neil Hope. His first appearance in the series was as a grade 8 student on Degrassi Junior High where his character was best friends with Joey Jeremiah and Archie Simpson (AKA Snake). He was adopted but he didn't mind. At one point he helped the character, Christine Nelson (AKA Spike), choose whether to keep her daughter, Emma Nelson, or put her up for adoption.

In one episode Wheels went to see his father in Port Hope and on the way was almost raped by a man he hitched a ride with.

In the season 3 two part premier of Degrassi Junior High Wheels lost his parents to a drunk driver. In one episode he turns down an offer to drink beer with Snake and Joey and mentions his parent's death as a reason. However, in the made for TV movie, School's Out, Wheels is involved in a drunk driving accident himself which not only temporarily blinds Lucy Fernandez (who was riding shotgun with Wheels) but also kills a young kid in the other car. He was charged with "criminal negligence causing death, criminal negligence causing injury times two, and drunk driving". He pled guilty to all charges.

Wheels later returns in an episode of Degrassi: The Next Generation when Snake is depressed and suicidal because of his cancer. Wheels goes bowling with him and tries to comfort him. He originally appeared in the series premiere of Degrassi: The Next Generation, Mother & Child Reunion, but this was only shown on the Canadian version on CTV and not on the American version shown on The N.

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