Blake Garrett's cause of death confirmed months after former child star's passing
After his early acting success, Garrett stepped away from Hollywood to continue his education
Former child actor Blake Garrett's cause of death has been confirmed nearly five months after his death at the age of 33.
According to documents obtained by Us Weekly from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Garrett died from acute fentanyl toxicity, and his death has been officially ruled an accident.
The records also indicate that the How to Eat Fried Worms actor was living in a sober living home in Tulsa at the time of his death.
Following Garrett's passing in February, his mother, Carol Garrett, told TMZ that her son had been diagnosed with shingles—a painful viral condition caused by the reactivation of the chickenpox virus—just days before he died. She said he had been hospitalized after experiencing severe pain.
Carol also shared her belief that Garrett, who had previously struggled with substance abuse, may have turned to drugs to cope with the intense pain caused by the illness.
Despite his past challenges, she said her son had rebuilt his life in recent years.
"He had truly turned things around," Carol said, adding that Garrett had been living a "good life" over the last three years.
Garrett was best known for portraying Plug, the bully's sidekick, in the 2006 family comedy How to Eat Fried Worms, which was based on Thomas Rockwell's classic children's novel. The film also starred James Rebhorn, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Tom Cavanagh and Philip Bolden.
His performance earned him a Young Artist Award as part of the film's ensemble cast. After his early acting success, Garrett stepped away from Hollywood to continue his education.
Reflecting on his breakout role in a 2006 interview with The Oklahoman, Garrett recalled that although he played a bully's henchman on screen, the cast shared a positive experience during filming.
He also remembered one of his favorite scenes, describing how a dramatic stop on a gravel road sent rocks flying into the camera—an unexpected moment that ultimately made it into the final cut of the movie.
