Daveigh Chase remains constantly on her father’s mind as he marks what would have been her 36th birthday, reflecting on her life approximately one year after the former child star passed away at age 35, according to statements shared with the Daily Mail. John Schwallier spoke openly about commemorating his daughter on Friday, July 24, noting that he thinks of her every single day despite the years of estrangement, addiction, and homelessness that preceded her death.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner identified acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) as Chase’s official cause of death, with chronic polysubstance use cited as a significant contributing condition. Schwallier acknowledged that he was not surprised when he learned the medical examiner’s findings, though the tragedy left him devastated and searching for ways to encourage greater awareness surrounding HIV and AIDS.
Reflecting on his daughter’s life, Schwallier shared his sorrow over the limited mementos he retains from her later years. Because of the estrangement that kept them apart, he explained that the only personal photographs he has of her are images printed from the internet. Chase’s mother, Cathy Chase, did not respond to allegations regarding family separation during those final years.
A Last Phone Call and Final Hospital Visit in Los Angeles
Schwallier was in Las Vegas on June 16, 2025, when he received an urgent phone call informing him that Chase was experiencing a severe medical emergency. According to Schwallier, a man identifying himself as Chase’s boyfriend, Roy Hernandez, placed the call and put the phone on speaker so the father could speak with his daughter as she drifted in and out of consciousness.
“I just told her I love her and that I’ve been looking for you. I told her, ‘I have a place to take you if you make it out of the hospital,’” Schwallier recalled. He immediately informed her that he was on his way, making the drive from Las Vegas to the Los Angeles hospital in roughly two and a half hours.
Upon his arrival, Schwallier described being deeply shocked by his daughter’s physical decline, stating that she appeared severely emaciated and that he initially struggled to recognize her. “I was beside myself at first when I finally saw her,” he said, adding that her condition was far worse than what was visible in circulating videos.
Family Separation, Addiction Struggles, and a Mother’s Search
While Schwallier voiced pain over distance from his daughter, Cathy Chase has also detailed her own relentless efforts to locate Chase after losing contact. Cathy recounted regularly monitoring Google and Reddit for any clues regarding her daughter’s whereabouts, often driving through Los Angeles and visiting homeless encampments alongside her younger son to follow up on potential leads.
“It upsets me because people are saying I must’ve been a bad mother, but I never gave up on her,” Cathy stated, emphasizing her determination to bring her daughter home safely. Cathy noted that she believes Chase’s struggles with substance use began around 2016 following a motorcycle accident that resulted in a back injury and a subsequent prescription for pain medication, after which the actress gravitated toward a destructive crowd.
Remembering a Hollywood Child Prodigy
Before her struggles with homelessness and health complications, Chase established herself as a recognizable young talent in Hollywood, beginning her career in commercials at just 3 years old. Her breakthrough arrived in 2002 when she provided the voice for Lilo Pelekai in Disney’s animated feature film Lilo & Stitch, a performance that earned her a Young Artist Award for best voice-over work in the pre-teen category. She subsequently reprised the beloved role in Stitch! The Movie and the subsequent television series.
Horror fans also know Chase worldwide for her terrifying portrayal of Samara Morgan in the 2002 supernatural thriller The Ring, starring alongside Naomi Watts. That chilling performance earned her an MTV Movie Award for best villain in 2003. Her extensive television and film resume additionally includes appearances in cult classic Donnie Darko and a prominent recurring role as Rhonda Volmer across 32 episodes of HBO’s drama series Big Love.
As family members mark what would have been her 36th birthday, her father emphasized that his enduring wish is to keep the focus on honoring her memory. “She was taken from this life way too early,” Schwallier said. “I just want to wish her a happy birthday today and [tell her] that she is on my mind every day.”
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