“It is very odd to live in a world where if you died, it would shock people but surprise no one.” quoted from Matthew’s memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing. Perry passed away very suddenly this last October at age 54, leaving behind his memoir, with millions of questions going into the public’s minds.  

Matthew Langford Perry was born on August 19, 1969, he grew up in an unstable family dynamic. At age of three, his parents got divorced. He was mainly raised by his Canadian mother, Keith Morrison, in Canada. His mother had other children at an early age so he did not feel like he belonged to this family.

At a very young age, Perry became an alcoholic. With the mix of drugs (he became addicted to Opioids, after a jet ski accident) and alcohol, he went into a spiral that he couldn’t come out of. During the Friends filming, he can’t remember filming seasons three to six, he also lost and gained weight during all seasons. His co-stars knew his condition and tried to help him “There wasn’t a response. It’s such a personal struggle; they need to bottom out on their own.” said Matt Leblanc on People. Perry had suffered from the impact of his addiction, both mentally and physically.

After many downfalls and a lot of money spent in rehab, Matthew felt better. His friends said that the day before his death “He was so happy and vibrant.”. Matthew Perry wanted to be known not because of his famous role Chandler Bing in Friends but for what he went through and to inspire people to get up for their struggle.

Addiction is a real issue, and having famous people tell their stories even when they seem so high up and different, can impact other people with the same struggles. At the end of the line, we are all just human.

Here’s information on a hotline if you need help or someone in your entourage call at: