WHO DO YOU KILL? –
Sept. 17, 2025 – Wyatt Wheeler was looking for an alternative to alcohol when he found kratom.
The 27-year-old was attending the rigorous Neely School of Business at Texas Christian University, and “he found this kratom alternative to try to take the edge off during a party,” his mom, Patti Wheeler, tells PEOPLE exclusively. “We just had no way of knowing that it was as addictive as it was.”
At the time, she hadn’t been concerned about him or his behavior. “I had seen these herbal vitamins in his bathroom,” says. “I said, ‘What is it?’ And he said, ‘Oh Mom, it’s just supplements.’ “
But two weeks later, on October 25, 2022, Wyatt had a seizure and died as his twin brother, Gannon, desperately tried to save his life. After reviewing Wyatt’s credit card receipts for any clue as to what happened, his devastated family discovered he’d only been using kratom for, at most, 6 weeks.
