Months after his death, new details have emerged about what led to the passing of former child actor Blake Garrett. Oklahoma medical examiner records obtained by US Weekly reveal Garrett died from acute fentanyl toxicity, with his death officially ruled an accident. The records also confirm he had been living in a sober living facility in Tulsa at the time of his death and that he had been hospitalized in the weeks leading up to it.
Garrett got his start on stage as a child, appearing in productions including Aladdin and His Magical Lamp and Peanuts: A Charlie Brown Tribute, before joining the touring cast of Barney's Colorful World International Tour. He went on to appear in the 2004 direct-to-video release Barney's Colorful World, Live!, and two years later landed his only feature film role, playing Plug in How to Eat Fried Worms.
The Challenges That Came with Staying Clean
According to Garrett's mother, Carol, he went to a Tulsa emergency room about a week before his death after experiencing intense pain, and was diagnosed with shingles. Carol said her son had relocated to Tulsa specifically to focus on his sobriety, and that she believed he had "truly turned things around" in the months before his death.
Carol has since suggested that Garrett may have attempted to manage the pain from his shingles diagnosis on his own, rather than through properly supervised medical treatment, in the days before he died.
Garrett's mother has suggested that the severe pain from shingles may have contributed to the circumstances surrounding his death. However, the medical examiner's report identifies acute fentanyl toxicity as the cause of death and does not establish how the fentanyl was obtained or used.
A Better Look at Shingles and Connecting the Dots
According to MayoClinic, Shingles is a viral infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus responsible for chickenpox, which can reactivate years after an initial chickenpox infection to cause a painful rash. While shingles isn't typically life-threatening, Mayo Clinic notes it can be very painful, and pain is usually its first and most prominent symptom, sometimes preceding any visible rash by several days.
Common symptoms include:
- Pain, burning, or tingling in a localized area, often on one side of the body
- Sensitivity to touch
- A red rash that develops a few days after the pain begins
- Fluid-filled blisters that eventually break open and crust over
- Fever, headache, and fatigue in some cases
Shingles is typically treated with antiviral medications, which can shorten the infection and lower the risk of complications, alongside pain management options such as over-the-counter or prescription pain relievers. Treatment is most effective when started promptly after diagnosis.
Garrett's case illustrates how a genuinely painful, legitimate medical condition can become a dangerous flashpoint for someone in recovery. Given that the pain that Shingles can cause has often been described as intense, it makes sense for carriers to seek relief, which is what Garrett's mother surmised he did.
Professional Treatment and Supervision Are the Best Guarantee of Recovery and Coming Clean
Blake Garrett's death is a sobering reminder of how dangerous unregulated substances like fentanyl are, particularly for people managing both a substance use history and an acute, painful medical condition. Illicitly manufactured fentanyl is significantly more potent than substances like heroin, and even small, inconsistent amounts can be fatal, making self-medication with it especially high-risk regardless of someone's tolerance or intentions.
His story also underscores the importance of properly treating pain through legitimate medical channels rather than trying to manage it alone, especially for people in recovery. Conditions like shingles can cause intense, disruptive pain that deserves real medical attention. For families and support systems, his case is also a reminder to stay closely engaged during moments of acute physical illness, especially when someone is in recovery.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use or an opioid use disorder, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's National Helpline is available 24/7 at 1-800-662-4357.
