Reports of Matthew Perry's Demise False, Emergency Responders Confirm
Matthew Perry was tragically found lifeless at his Los Angeles residence on October 28, leaving first responders unable to revive him upon their arrival
David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images
Matthew Perry was found “unconscious in a stand-alone jacuzzi” when first responders arrived to his home on Saturday, October 28.
According to a spokesperson from the Los Angeles Fire Department, a bystander had managed to bring the man's head out of the water and bring him to the edge. Upon the firefighters' arrival, they removed him from the water. However, a quick medical assessment sadly confirmed that the man had already passed away before the first responders arrived.
Earlier in the day, Nicholas Prange, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Fire Department, mentioned that the firefighters did not perform CPR on Perry when they reached his Pacific Palisades residence, as he was already beyond any medical assistance.
Authorities reportedly found Perry after responding to a call about someone experiencing cardiac arrest on Saturday. There were no signs of foul play at the scene, but the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has deferred the determination of his cause of death pending a toxicology report, as the initial autopsy results were inconclusive. Additional investigation into Perry's death has been requested. He was 54 years old.
Perry gained his fame for portraying Chandler Bing on Friends, a popular TV show that aired for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004. On Monday, his former co-stars expressed their sorrow over the loss of their long-time friend.
The loss of Matthew has left us all devastated. We were not just co-stars, but a family. Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer conveyed this in a joint statement to We on October 30. At the moment, we need time to grieve and cope with this unimaginable loss.
In due course, we will share more when we are ready to do so. For now, our thoughts and love go out to Matty's family, friends, and all those who cherished him globally.
While working on the NBC sitcom, Perry developed a dependence on Vicodin following a Jet Ski accident in 1997. This addiction eventually led to alcohol abuse, negatively impacting his performance on set. In 2000, he was hospitalized due to pancreatitis. Throughout his time on Friends, Perry made numerous efforts to overcome his addiction, ultimately entering recovery before the 2021 Max reunion. During this reunion, Perry candidly discussed the pressure he felt while filming scenes as his character, Chandler.
"I had this overwhelming fear that if the audience didn't laugh, it was like a matter of life or death. It wasn't a healthy mindset, but there were times when I would deliver a line and if it didn't generate laughter, I would become anxious and uncontrollable," he revealed to his former castmates. "Not receiving the expected laughter would send me into a panic. I experienced that every single night."
Perry acknowledged that his fame from Friends would undoubtedly be his lasting legacy, but he also expressed his desire for his impact to be associated with the assistance he provided to others. Speaking on the “Q With Tom Power” podcast in 2022, Perry revealed, “The most important aspect of my character is my ability to offer help to those in need. If someone approaches me and confesses their struggle with alcohol addiction, I can confidently declare that I will support and guide them towards recovery." He emphasized that when his time comes, he hopes his humanitarian efforts will hold precedence over his role on Friends, vowing to dedicate the remainder of his life to substantiating this aspiration.
In 2013, Perry converted his Malibu home into a sober living facility for men called Perry House, which offered holistic services to help men get sober.
