Remembering Blake Garrett, A Familiar Face From A Beloved Mid-2000s Family Film

Many of us remember certain movies not just for their plots, but for the feeling they gave us and the moments we shared watching them with our kids or grandkids. One such film for a generation of families was How to Eat Fried Worms, a lighthearted and offbeat comedy that brought giggles, groans, and plenty of eye-rolling from grown-ups who were along for the ride. Among the young cast in that movie was Blake Garrett, whose spirited performance made a lasting impression on audiences who grew up during that era. Today, we share the difficult news that Garrett has died at just 33 years old, a loss that has saddened fans and prompted warm reflections on his early work and the life he lived beyond the spotlight.

According to his family, Garrett passed away in Oklahoma on a Sunday, just a week after being hospitalized following a shingles diagnosis. An official cause of death has not been released. Those closest to him fear that complications may have followed attempts to manage the pain of the condition on his own. As friends and admirers process the news, many are taking time to revisit his performances and to remember the charm and good humor he brought to the screen and the stage as a young performer.

For those who recall the film, Garrett played Plug in How to Eat Fried Worms, released in 2006. The story’s premise was as silly as it sounds: a boy accepts a dare to eat worms without getting sick, setting off a string of pranks, tests of courage, and moments of surprising friendship. It was the kind of movie many families watched together on a weekend afternoon, the kind that had children howling and parents smiling at the chaos. Within that ensemble, Garrett stood out with a performance that balanced mischief with sincerity—one reason the film lingered in the memory of so many young viewers.

Garrett’s work helped the cast earn recognition as a group. The young actors behind the film’s messy, memorable antics went on to receive the Best Young Ensemble award at the 2007 Young Artist Awards. For Garrett and his peers, it was a moment that celebrated the teamwork and camaraderie at the heart of the project. Although he played a sidekick to one of the story’s tougher characters, he often spoke about the fondness that formed among the cast members behind the scenes. It was an encouraging example of friendship and support in an industry that can be notoriously difficult for young people to navigate.

Long before the movie hit theaters, Garrett had already gathered meaningful experience on the stage. He performed in live productions of Aladdin and His Magical Lamp, The Wizard of Oz, Annie, and Grease. Those shows demanded energy, timing, and a wide range of skills—from singing and dancing to quick changes and stage presence under the bright lights. Audiences who saw him in these roles remember a young actor with a knack for connecting, whether through a laugh, a song, or an earnest glance. That early theater work hinted at a promising artistic path, one built on dedication rather than just a single screen credit.

Garrett also toured internationally with Barney’s Colorful World, bringing family entertainment to venues far beyond his Texas roots. If you ever took a child or grandchild to one of those shows, you know the whirlwind of color, music, and movement they brought to the stage. Touring life is demanding, especially for a young performer, yet it offers something special—the joy of seeing a sea of smiling faces in city after city. Garrett often spoke warmly about those experiences. At one point, he shared a lighthearted memory of kids in certain audiences being captivated by his hair color, tickled by the novelty of it. That easygoing humor became part of how fans remembered him, a reminder that behind the lights and cues was a real person who could laugh at the small, human details.

News of his death has resonated deeply with people who grew up watching him and with parents and grandparents who remember sitting through those worm-filled escapades with affection. The loss of someone so young naturally brings sorrow and questions. It also nudges us to reflect on the complicated path that many child performers face. While a familiar face in a film might live forever on a streaming menu or a DVD shelf, the people behind those roles grow up and step into adult life like anyone else, often away from the attention that fame briefly brought them.

According to his mother, Carol Garrett, he had been hospitalized a week earlier after being diagnosed with shingles. Shingles is a painful viral condition that affects roughly one in three Americans at some point in life. While it is rarely fatal, it can lead to complications that are serious, particularly if not managed appropriately. The family’s concern that attempts to control the pain on his own may have contributed to complications is a heartbreaking detail and serves as a sober reminder of how important careful medical guidance can be when dealing with intense, persistent pain.

For readers in midlife and beyond, shingles is more than a medical term; many of us either know someone who has had it or have gone through it ourselves. It can cause a painful rash, discomfort, and lingering nerve pain that sometimes lasts long after the skin has healed. Even though the condition is common, it can be unexpectedly disruptive. If there is any gentle takeaway in the wake of this tragedy, it may be the importance of listening to our bodies, seeking timely care, and asking for help when pain or stress starts to feel overwhelming. There are options for prevention and treatment that your healthcare professional can explain, and for many people, that conversation brings real peace of mind.

Remembering Garrett means remembering more than a film’s storyline. It means recalling the genuine warmth of a kid who made others laugh, the teamwork of a cast that supported one another, and the way his performances helped families share a few carefree hours together. Many fans have taken to social media to post tributes, clips, and personal notes, describing how they felt seen by the awkward friendships depicted in the movie, or how the film became a favorite that siblings and cousins watched at sleepovers. These memories, collected quietly over the years, are now being shared out loud in gratitude.

It is also a moment to recognize the unique experience of growing up in entertainment. A childhood wrapped around call times, rehearsals, and public attention can be thrilling, but it can also be challenging. The arc of early fame often dips into a quieter adulthood, and not everyone finds the transition easy. Garrett’s story highlights both the promise of youthful talent and the reality that the spotlight eventually moves on. When it does, the person remains—still searching, still learning, still facing the same everyday pressures many of us know, just without the chorus of applause.

Those who worked with him have described sets and stages where bonds were built that outlasted a single production. In a field sometimes caricatured as cutthroat, those steady, ordinary friendships are what many carry forward. Garrett’s colleagues have spoken in the past about the closeness of the How to Eat Fried Worms cast, a closeness you can feel in the film’s best moments—when characters stop trying to impress or intimidate and start understanding one another. That sense of earned friendship mirrors the real-life support that many young actors rely on long after the credits roll.

For anyone who raised children or grandchildren during the mid-2000s, the movie might evoke a very particular time: afternoons spent popping popcorn, kids peeking between their fingers during messy scenes, and adults wincing and laughing in equal measure. Films like that become touchstones not because they are perfect but because they are shared. In that way, Garrett’s work helped shape small but meaningful family rituals—an hour and a half of togetherness that, over time, becomes a memory you can feel as clearly as you can recall a favorite song.

As details about his passing remain limited, the focus for many has turned to celebrating the life he lived and the joy he brought. His family has requested privacy as they grieve, and honoring that request is a simple kindness we can all extend. For fans, the most thoughtful tribute may be to revisit the performances that first made you smile. It might be dusting off an old DVD or streaming How to Eat Fried Worms with the next generation, sharing the same giggles and groans you remember, and telling the little ones on the couch that the faces they see on screen belong to real people with real stories.

In thinking back on Garrett’s journey—from community stages and touring shows to a memorable role in a film that continues to find new viewers—you can see the thread that runs through so many early careers in entertainment. It is a thread made of effort, good humor, and a willingness to try. He stepped onto stages big and small, found his place among a lively young ensemble, and gave audiences something to remember. That is no small legacy, especially when measured in the laughter and light moments his work delivered to so many households.

It is always striking when someone so young leaves us. At 33, there is so much life still waiting over the horizon. The milestones yet to come—new projects, new passions, new seasons of family and friendship—were all possibilities still gathering shape. Losing that possibility is part of what makes news like this so hard. But in the midst of sadness, there is also gratitude. Gratitude for the spark he brought. Gratitude for the companionship his performances offered to children who were themselves figuring out how to be brave, loyal, and kind. And gratitude for the reminder that the arts, even the silliest of stories, can leave a warm and lasting imprint.

If you find yourself moved by his memory, you are not alone. Across the country, people are sharing the small ways his work crossed their paths. Some remember him for the fearless gleam in a child’s eyes on screen. Others remember a stage presence that seemed larger than his years. Together, these recollections form a portrait of a performer who made a difference, sometimes in ways that were only obvious later, when a grown child looked back and realized which scenes stuck and why.

As we say goodbye, perhaps the most fitting way to honor Blake Garrett is with the same spirit his performances invited: simple kindness, a willingness to laugh, and an appreciation for the everyday courage it takes to grow up. The film that first introduced him to many of us may feature daring feats of worm-eating, but its heart is in the friendships that take shape once the dare is done. That, too, is where his legacy lives—among the friendships he made and the memories he left for the rest of us to keep.

May his family find comfort in their memories, and may those who enjoyed his work find a quiet moment to reflect on the joy he helped bring into their homes. In the rush of daily life, that joy is something to hold onto—a gentle reminder of why these stories matter, and of the young man whose talent and warmth helped tell them.