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The passing of Blake Garrett, a former child actor who captured the hearts of audiences in the mid-2000s, has left a profound void for his family, friends, and the fans who grew up watching him on screen. Garrett, best known for his role as “Plug” in the 2006 family film How to Eat Fried Worms, died on Sunday, February 8, 2026, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at the age of 33. His mother, Carol Garrett, confirmed the heartbreaking news, describing a life defined as much by early brilliance and theatrical passion as by the quiet resilience he demonstrated in his later years. As the family awaits official autopsy results to clarify the circumstances of his passing, Blake’s story remains a poignant reminder of life’s fragility.
Born Nolan Blake Garrett in Austin, Texas, Blake showed a natural affinity for the spotlight from an early age. Long before Hollywood, he was a fixture in Austin’s local theater scene, performing in productions like Aladdin and His Magical Lamp and Peanuts: A Charlie Brown Tribute, followed by staples such as The Wizard of Oz, Annie, and Grease. Even as a child, his stage presence was marked by professionalism and infectious energy. By age ten, he had joined the national and international tour of Barney’s Colorful World, a milestone few young performers achieve. Traveling widely at such a young age, Garrett developed a disciplined work ethic and worldly perspective that would guide him to the silver screen.
In 2006, Blake landed the role that would define his professional legacy. In the film adaptation of Thomas Rockwell’s beloved book, he played Plug, part of an eccentric group of boys engaged in a high-stakes schoolyard bet. The film, about a newcomer’s challenge to eat ten worms in a single day to face a bully, became a cultural touchstone for the “tween” generation of the era. The cast’s chemistry earned them a Young Artist Award for Best Young Ensemble Cast in a Feature Film. For Blake, this was more than a role—it was a culmination of years of training and touring, immortalized in a movie still revisited by families decades later.
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