It has been one year since Matthew Perry, famously known for his role in “Friends,” was discovered unresponsive in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home. He passed away on October 28, 2023, shortly after spending the afternoon playing pickleball and returning to his house with a view of the Pacific Ocean.
His family, who had witnessed his long battle with substance abuse, expressed deep sorrow, acknowledging what his mother, Suzanne Perry, described as an unavoidable outcome. “There was an inevitability to what was going to happen next to him,” she shared in an interview with Savannah Guthrie on the “TODAY” show.
In her emotional recollection, Suzanne Perry discussed her grief and the feelings of helplessness that accompany a loved one’s addiction struggles. She emphasized the importance of not blaming oneself, stating, “You’ve got to stop blaming yourself, because it tears you up.”
Perry gained fame as Chandler Bing on NBC’s iconic sitcom “Friends,” which aired from 1994 to 2004 and became a cultural phenomenon over its ten seasons. He endeared himself to audiences with his sharp wit and humor.
In 2022, Perry published his memoir, “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir,” in which he candidly addressed his struggles with addiction, including a near-fatal incident in 2019 when his colon ruptured due to opioid use. The memoir revealed that he had invested around $7 million in rehabilitation and recovery efforts over the years.
Keith Morrison, Perry’s stepfather and a correspondent for “Dateline,” remarked, “What he taught the world is that no amount of money will cure an addict.”
An autopsy by the Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office revealed that Perry’s death was accidental, attributed to the acute effects of ketamine, along with contributing factors such as drowning, coronary artery disease, and buprenorphine, which is prescribed for opioid use disorder.
Ketamine, long known as a club drug, has gained traction for treating mental health issues like depression but can be dangerous when misused. Although he had been receiving ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety, his last session occurred over a week before his passing, with the medical examiner noting that the levels in his system mirrored those used for general anesthesia.
In August, federal prosecutors brought charges against five individuals, including two physicians and a personal assistant, in connection with Perry’s death. They allegedly conspired to supply him with the ketamine that resulted in his fatal overdose. Three defendants have pleaded guilty, while two others have entered not guilty pleas. Prosecutors indicated that from September to late October, the doctors provided Perry with around 20 vials of ketamine totaling $55,000 in cash.
Keith Morrison commented on the uncertainty surrounding Perry’s usage, stating, “We didn’t know how much of it he was taking.”
Despite his struggle with addiction, family members noted that Perry seemed to be turning a corner in the months leading up to his death. He rekindled connections with friends, shared discussions about spirituality, and spent quality time with family members he had once distanced himself from.
Perry’s sisters reflected on his uplifting presence in their lives, recalling how he always brought joy and laughter. “It was always a jubilant thing when he would come over,” Caitlin Morrison remembered, while another sister, Emily, added, “All he wanted was to love and to be loved.”
In his memory, Caitlin Morrison has been instrumental in establishing the Matthew Perry Foundation, which aims to combat the stigma surrounding addiction disorders and promote better treatment through community collaboration. “Even when he was struggling in dark times, we were always proud of him,” Caitlin said, highlighting his commitment to helping others despite his own challenges.
The foundation seeks to facilitate conversations about addiction, advocating for a view of it as a disease rather than a moral failing. Suzanne Perry reflected on her complicated relationship with her son, cherishing the loving moments they shared in his final months. “I’m a very lucky woman,” she stated, acknowledging her children’s achievements while expressing the profound sense of loss over her inability to help Matthew.