Matthew starred as Chandler Bing in Friends. He passed away on Saturday October 28 at the age of 54.
Matthew Perry’s last desire will be honored via a new Foundation.
In Friends, Matthew played Chandler Bing. He died on Saturday, October 28th, at the age of 54.
A charity in Matthew Perry’s honor was established a week after his terrible death at the age of 54.
“In the spirit of Matthew Perry’s enduring commitment to helping others struggling with the disease of addiction, we embark on a journey to honor his legacy by establishing the Matthew Perry Foundation, guided by his own words and experiences, and driven by his passion for making a difference in as many lives as possible,” the foundation’s inaugural statement reads.
The National Philanthropic Trust has funded and will run the foundation, and they are presently taking donations to assist persons battling with addiction. The National Philanthropic Trust has been described as a “public charity dedicated to providing philanthropic expertise to donors, foundations and financial institutions, enabling them to realize their philanthropic aspirations” .
Matthew’s name will be remembered with a new foundation ©Denise Truscello
Matthew was well-known for his work on the NBC comedy Friends, but he revealed in 2022 that when he died, he didn’t want his job as an actor to be remembered first, but rather that he had attempted to help others.
After years of battle addiction, he converted his Malibu home into the Perry House, a sober living center that closed in 2015.
“When I die, I don’t want ‘Friends’ to be the first thing that’s mentioned — I want helping others to be the first thing that’s mentioned,” he told Tom Power in 2022, during an appearance on the Q With Tom Power podcast.
“I’m going to live the rest of my life proving that. Addiction is far too powerful for anyone to defeat alone. But together, one day at a time, we can beat it down.”
Matthew died at the age of 54 © Frederick M. Brown
For decades, the actor struggled with catastrophic drink and drug addictions, and he was on and off the wagon with his addiction to pills and alcohol; the actor stated that at one point, he was down to 128 pounds and using 55 Vicodin per day.
“I didn’t know how to stop,” he said in 2022. “If the police came over to my house and said, ‘If you drink tonight, we’re going to take you to jail,’ I’d start packing. I couldn’t stop because the disease and the addiction is progressive. So it gets worse and worse as you grow older.”
Matthew was known for his work on Friends © Sky
A year ago, he published his memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, in which he stated that at the age of 49, his colon burst due to narcotic addiction, leaving him fighting for his life for weeks. Five months in the hospital and nine months with a colostomy bag followed.
“The doctors told my family that I had a 2 percent chance to live. I was put on a thing called an ECMO machine, which does all the breathing for your heart and your lungs. And that’s called a Hail Mary. No one survives that.”
Matthew (far left) as Chandler Bing, Jennifer Aniston as Rachel Green, David Schwimmer as Ross Geller, Courteney Cox as Monica Geller, Matt Le Blanc as Joey Tribbiani, Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe Buffay © NBC
Friends actors Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, and Matt LeBlanc issued a heartfelt collective statement following his death.
“We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family,” their statement reads. “There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss. In time we will say more, as and when we are able.
“For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world.”
“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother,” his family – mom Suzanne Perry, father John Bennett Perry, and his five half-siblings – said.
“Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend. You all meant so much to him and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love.”