In addition to being remembered as the hilarious and charming Chandler Bing in Friends, Matthew Perry made it his life mission to help others face their struggles with addiction. After suffering from the disease for many years, Perry had been open about his rock bottoms, his path to recovery and how he wanted to use his experience to better the lives of others.
So, on Nov. 3, just a few days after his sudden passing on Oct. 28, the Matthew Perry Foundation has been officially launched in his honor. “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, per Variety.
In the foundation’s newly-released website, which is already accepting donations, they added a touching quote from the late actor. “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,” the quote, which was taken from an interview of his with the Q With Tom Power podcast, reads. “And 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,” the website’s quote continues.
Perry, who opened up about his battle with addiction in his memoir Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, began his substance use back when he was just 14 years old. When he landed Friends and skyrocketed to fame 10 years later, and later got into a jet-ski accident in 1997, his dependence only escalated. In 2019, as the book recounts, Perry had a near-death experience when his colon burst due to his use of opioids, per NBC News.
“I am no saint — none of us are — but once you have been at death’s door and you don’t die, you would think you would be bathed in relief and gratitude,” Perry wrote in his memoir. “But that isn’t it at all — instead, you look at the difficult road ahead of you to get better and you are pissed. Something else happens, too. You are plagued by this nagging question: Why have I been spared?”
While asking himself this questions, Perry began his journey of helping others. “The best thing about me, bar none, is that if somebody comes to me and says, ‘I can’t stop drinking, can you help me?’ I can say ‘yes’ and follow up and do it,” Perry told Q With Tom Power podcast. We’re touched that his foundation will continue to do the same.
Before you go, click here to see all the celebrities we’ve lost this year.
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