Matthew Perry's Last Wish: A Legacy of Helping Others
Matthew Perry's heartfelt desire to make a lasting impact on people's lives emerged long before his untimely passing Discover his touching aspirations and the legacy he hoped to leave behind
Matthew Perry Denise Truscello/WireImage
Matthew Perry, who sadly passed away approximately a year later, expressed his desire to be remembered as someone who actively sought to assist others. In a November 2022 interview on the "Q with Tom Power" podcast, Perry emphasized his greatest attribute: his readiness to aid individuals struggling with addiction. He stated, "If an alcoholic or drug addict approaches me for help, I can wholeheartedly say yes, and I will diligently follow up on that promise." Perry firmly believed that his legacy should not solely be defined by his role in the television show Friends. Instead, he intended to spend his remaining years making meaningful contributions to society to substantiate this aspiration.
Perry's passing at the age of 54 was announced on Saturday, October 28. According to the Los Angeles Times, law enforcement officials were called to Perry's residence where he was discovered unresponsive in a hot tub.
Confirmation of Perry's demise was made by the L.A. coroner's office on Sunday. However, the cause of his death has been "deferred," as per a report from the L.A. County's Medical Examiner obtained by NBC News. Furthermore, it was revealed that initial autopsy findings were inconclusive pending a toxicology report.
During his interview with Tom Power, Perry discussed his ups and downs since becoming famous in his memoir, "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing." He expressed his satisfaction with being recognized for his work as an actor and providing people with opportunities to poke fun at his struggles online through "Friends." However, Perry expressed his desire for his acts of helping others to be recognized more prominently after his death, although he acknowledged it was unlikely to happen.
Perry mentioned the "Perry House in Malibu, a residential facility for men recovering from addiction," and his play The End of Longing as two legacies he wanted to leave behind.
Perry, known for his portrayal of Chandler Bing on the hit show Friends from 1994 to 2004, has openly discussed his battles with substance abuse. He revealed that during the sitcom, he only experienced complete sobriety for one season. He humorously referred to season 9 as "the one where everyone was talking about Chandler" due to his sobriety.
"You can trace the path of my addiction by observing my fluctuating weight across different seasons: alcohol contributes to weight gain, whereas pills lead to weight loss," Perry disclosed in his memoir. "The presence of a goatee indicates heavy usage of pills."
During the "Q" podcast episode in 2022, Perry expressed his gratitude for the multitude of positive experiences that shaped his life.
“But that’s the ticket for me, is helping people on a large scale or helping, you know, one guy and seeing the light turn on,” he added.
