(LibertyInsider.org) – Fans of the ‘90s television show “Friends” are grieving the loss of an actor this week. Matthew Perry, best known for playing Chandler Bing on the television show “Friends” in the 90s, died on Oct 28 at his home in the Pacific Palisade. He was only 54.
The circumstances surrounding Perry’s death remain unclear, pending a detailed investigation by LA County medical examiners. However, local authorities have confirmed that emergency services responded to a call for a “water emergency” at his residence. Media outlets have since labeled the tragic passing an apparent drowning.
Born and raised in Ottawa, Ontario, Perry discovered a passion for acting early on and relocated to Los Angeles at the tender age of 15. His acting career soared when he landed the role of Chandler Bing at age 24, marking the inception of a journey that included acting jobs on many other titles, including “The West Wing” and “Scrubs.”
But Perry wasn’t only known for his roles on the silver screen. As he once pointed out during an appearance in 2022, he wanted others to remember him for his philanthropic endeavors in helping others recover from addiction instead. He explained that he didn’t “want ‘Friends’ to be the first thing” people talk about. “I want [my efforts to help others] to be the first thing that’s [said],” and Perry vowed to live his life proving that fact.
Perry was a passionate advocate for addiction recovery, a cause very much driven by his own years-long battles with substance abuse. He founded Perry House, a sober living facility in Malibu, Florida, and was in the process of establishing a foundation to expand this initiative at the time of his passing. In his revealing biography, “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing,” Perry shared a harrowing account of nearly losing his own life to opiates in 2019.
Statements provided by Perry’s family and fellow castmates expressed heartbreak and proved that he will be deeply missed. His family said they were “heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother.” The cast of Friends, including Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Courtney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, and Matt LeBlanc, shared similar sentiments. “We are all so utterly devastated,” they wrote. “We were more than just cast mates. We are a family.”
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