Trigger warning: This article contains mentions of death and drug abuse.
Amidst the first death anniversary of Matthew Perry, his family is remembering his last moments. Speaking to People, the late Friends star’s father Keith Morrison revealed that he was close to his son over the years.
“Many times the doctors would come to us and say, ‘He’s not going to survive the night, he’s not going to survive the week,’ or ‘He’s close to death, get ready for that possibility,'” Morrison recalled.
He recalled that over the years, Perry’s family had to prepare themselves for the possibility of his death on several occasions. “And it was only the heroic efforts of the doctors that kept him alive a few times,” he recalled.
Perry died on October 28, 2023, at the age of 54. His cause of death was initially thought to be accidental drowning, but after further investigation and autopsy report analysis, it was concluded that his death was caused by the “acute effects of ketamine”. “A hallucinogenic drug.
The actor’s stepfather revealed that his dying wish was to be “remembered for helping other people, more than his fame for Friends”, referring to the hit sitcom of which he was memorably a part and sarcastically But earned many accolades for its satirical portrayal. Sweet Chandler Bing.
Morrison, who is married to Matthew’s mother Suzanne Morrison, had noticed changes in the actor’s behavior in the days leading up to his death. Morrison claimed that his son seemed “at peace” and reached out to his family with the intention of reuniting.
“He wasn’t the kind of person to call and say, ‘Oh my God, I love you. Missing you.’ But he was doing it all the time,” Morrison recalled. He further explains that it may have been a premonition or an acceptance of the inevitable that induced this realization in Perry.
In another interview with Today, the late actor’s mother, Caitlin Morrison, echoed Keith’s sentiments that Perry had become surprisingly affectionate in the weeks before his death. She remembered Perry showing her his new house and telling her he loved her.
“It was almost like it was a premonition of something,” she told the outlet. If only he had known that this was his last deep conversation with Perry. Meanwhile, Keith said getting a call about a loved one dying from an overdose is heartbreaking.
“It breaks you,” he said. “Matthew’s mother will never be the same. And every day, every minute, she’s on his mind. He is on my mind. He’s on all of our minds,’ Keith said.
