During his lifetime, Matthew Perry said he wanted to leave first and foremost the memory of a person who tried to provide help to those who, like her, were fighting against their addictions.
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The Matthew Perry Foundation was created a few weeks after the death of the star of the cult series Friends, indicates Variety (link in English) and several American media. The organization “is the fulfillment of Matthew’s enduring commitment to helping those battling the disease of addiction. It will honor his legacy and be guided by his own words and experiences, as well as his passion for making a difference in the as many lives as possible.”can we read on the new structure website.
“When I die, I don’t want the first thing mentioned to be Friends but rather helping others. And I’m going to spend the rest of my life proving it, he said. Addiction is far too powerful to overcome alone. But together, one day at a time, we can (do it).”
After the release of his book Friends, my loves and this terrible thing (Michel Lafon), where he described the hell of addiction in which he had lived since the age of 14 (when he started drinking), the American-Canadian actor made known his commitment to people who, like him, were struggling to end their addictions. It was noticeable in the series, he confided: “When I’m fat, it’s alcohol; when I’m skinny, it’s pills. When I have a goatee, it’s a lot of pills”.
“The comic soul” of a cult series
Matthew Perry died at the age of 54 on October 28, 2023. His body was discovered lifelessin his jacuzzi, by his assistant at his home in Los Angeles (California). No illicit substances were found in his home but prescribed medications were. The actor died of drowning but the first autopsy was inconclusive. Toxicological research continues according to the American media TMZ which was the first to reveal his death.
The announcement of his death aroused great emotion throughout the world, given the success of Friends which became a cult series in the 90s. In the shoes of Chandeler Bing, he was “the comic soul”according to Variety (link in English). His co-stars, in a statement, indicated that they were “totally collapsed” emphasizing that they had lost a member of their “family”.