Matthew Perry, 54, a well-known actor in the 1990s and early 2000s, died from drowning in a hot tub on Oct. 28. An addiction foundation has since been created in his honor.
Perry began his career in 1994 as one of the main characters in “Friends,” a sitcom about six friends that live in New York City, costars being Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer. The series stayed on air for ten seasons and has since been recognized as one of the best T.V. shows of all time according to IMDB, as it has won six Emmys and 79 other awards.
It was revealed years after the show aired that Perry was addicted to drugs and alcohol.
According to Biography, “A dependence on alcohol did become a part of his life. Then after a jet ski accident in 1997, when he was prescribed Vicodin, drugs also entered the picture.”
Perry had also received care for pancreatitis that was caused by his alcohol addiction in 2000. Though he was treated, it did not stop him from continuing to feed his addictions.
Perry realized on his own one day that he needed to be sober. In an interview with New York Times, he said “I didn’t get sober because I felt like it, I got sober because I was worried I was going to die the next day.” His parents took him to rehab in California soon after.
He opened a men’s home for those trying to become sober to help others with addiction after completing rehab in 2013.
In honor of Perry’s motivation to help those in need, The Matthew Perry Foundation strives to continue his work through donor contributions created on Nov. 3.
Perry stated, “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. 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.”