Mason's Story

Saint Mason was created in honor of Mason R. Garza, an old soul who lost his life to fentanyl at just 16 years old on December 21, 2021.

Mason struggled with severe anxiety and depression, but even through his own struggles, he had a heart for others—especially the unhoused and those who weren't always treated fairly. He cared about their stories and had compassion for people others sometimes overlooked.

Mason always wanted to be an entrepreneur. One of his dreams was to create his own clothing line, but he never got the chance. To honor that dream, I created a brand in his name, with a logo that incorporates a hummingbird—a symbol that has its own special connection to Mason.

About two months before Mason passed, I got a tattoo on my inner forearm of two hummingbirds. When Mason saw it, he asked me, “Is that supposed to be you and little Mae?”

“Yes. Yes, it is,” I told him.

The truth is, I hadn't thought of the hummingbirds that way when I got the tattoo. Mason gave them that meaning.

Like many teenagers, Mason could be stubborn and impatient. When medications didn't quickly relieve his anxiety and depression, he became discouraged. We tried counseling, different medications and therapies, natural approaches, and eventually ketamine infusions. He was struggling to find relief, and along the way, he began self-medicating.

What we didn't know was that fentanyl would become part of his story.

Mason spent two weeks in the ICU with no meaningful recovery before being moved to hospice, where we had to say goodbye.

There is nothing worse than watching your child struggle—watching him unable to sleep, unable to manage emotions that felt bigger than he was, and experiencing anxiety so crippling that it physically made him sick. As a parent, you want more than anything to find the thing that will make it better.

We couldn't change the ending of Mason's story.

But we can continue telling it.

Losing someone you love changes you. Stay Strong is more than a message. It's a reminder to keep telling their story, to pay kindness forward, and to bring awareness to addiction, anxiety, depression, and the importance of mental health support.

Saint Mason also gives life to one of Mason's dreams—a clothing brand carrying his name and a message meant to reach people who may be struggling themselves.

Stay Strong. You Matter.