Blake Garrett died from fentanyl toxicity

Blake Garrett died from fentanyl toxicity

Former child actor Blake Garrett's cause of death has been revealed, nearly six months after his passing. According to the Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner's report, Garrett, 33, died from acute fentanyl toxicity, and his death was officially ruled accidental.

Garrett was best known for his role as Plug in the 2006 film How to Eat Fried Worms, a comedy based on the 1973 children's book of the same name. The movie, which also starred Luke Benward, Hallie Kate Eisenberg, and Adam Hicks, received mixed reviews but earned the cast the award for Best Young Ensemble in a Feature Film at the 2007 Young Artist Awards.

Before his big-screen debut, Garrett got his start in local stage productions, including Aladdin and His Magical Lamp and Peanuts: A Charlie Brown Tribute. He also joined the cast of Barney's Colorful World International Tour, a traveling theater production that played in arenas throughout the country. Garrett's performance in How to Eat Fried Worms earned him a 2007 Young Artist Award, and the film's entire cast took home the Best Young Ensemble in a Feature Film prize that same year.

Garrett's mother, Carol Permenter Garrett, confirmed his death to TMZ, sharing that her son had visited a Tulsa emergency room just a week before he passed away. He was experiencing "intense pain" and was later diagnosed with shingles, a painful rash caused by the varicella-zoster virus. Carol feared that her son may have unintentionally overdosed in an attempt to self-medicate after contracting the shingles, as he had achieved three years of sobriety before his death.

According to Carol, Garrett had relocated to Tulsa specifically to focus on his sobriety. She believed that he had "truly turned things around" before his death. Garrett was living in a sober living home in Tulsa at the time of his death, according to the Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner's report.

Garrett's death was met with an outpouring of tributes from fans and former castmates. A memorial service was held at Resthaven Funeral Home in Shawnee, Oklahoma, on February 16, 2026. In his obituary, Garrett's family shared a loving note, revealing that after stepping away from the spotlight, he had enrolled in Bethel Schools, where he found immense joy in participating in football. He cherished the memories and experiences he had with his fellow football players during that period.