Entertainment
Matthew Perry’s Family’s Pain Laid Bare Ahead of 1 Year Anniversary of His Drug Death: ‘Friends’ Star’s Stepdad and Sister Say Ketamine Tragedy Was ‘Shattering’
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Matthew Perry’s stepdad and sister opened up about his death one year later.
Matthew Perry‘s younger sister and stepfather have admitted his “shattering death” still haunts them one year after the actor was found unresponsive from a drug overdose.
Keith Morrison and his daughter, Caitlin Morrison, opened up while unveiling the powerful work they’ve been doing to honor the late Friends star, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
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Perry’s sister and stepdad said they’ve been doing important work with the Matthew Perry Foundation of Canada since his death last year.
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Caitlin, 43, is the executive director of the Matthew Perry Foundation of Canada — which builds on the efforts of the Matthew Perry Foundation in the U.S. to promote improved support for individuals grappling with addiction, a struggle he experienced firsthand.
Speaking to Hello! Canada, Caitlin said the work she does makes her feel “like I’m sitting right next to Matthew, working with him every day on something that was important to him”.
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The late Friends star was found dead in his jacuzzi in October 2023 at the age of 54.
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She added: “I have this treasure of getting to keep him very, very close to my life all the time, which is wonderful.”
Matthew’s stepdad, 77, believes his son would’ve been proud of what the Canadian organization has accomplished in his honor.
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Keith said: “He would like to be remembered for doing something to help people suffering from addiction.”
Matthew’s mother, Suzanne, serves on the board of directors of the Canadian foundation, alongside his childhood friend Brian Murray and mental health expert Cara Vaccarino.
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Matthew’s family believes he would ‘like to be remembered for doing something to help people suffering from addiction’.
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Keith also took a moment to reflect on Matthew’s passing, saying: “Anybody who has lost a child will tell you that, even if you are in some way prepared for the possibility, it’s shattering.”
“What we have decided to do is hang on to that determination and try to do something useful.”
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Remembering her brother’s impact, Caitlin explained he “had this ability to fill up a room with light. When people were in a room with [Matthew], there was this magnetic energy.”
She added: “Everybody just had a smile on their face and they clung to everything that he said.”
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Matthew became known for his role as Chandler Bing on the hit sitcom Friends.
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Caitlin said she “will always think of herself as Matthew’s kid sister — a wide-eyed girl who thought (still thinks) her brother was the coolest human being who has ever existed.”
While Matthew taught her many life hacks — like how to butter popcorn and “edit” a report card — Caitlin said the “best” thing he taught her was that “no matter how many times you fail, you haven’t failed until you stop trying.”
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The Matthew Perry Foundation of Canada launched on November 3, 2023, just days after Matthew was pronounced dead on October 28.
The actor was found unresponsive in the jacuzzi of his Los Angeles home, with an autopsy later revealing he died from the acute effects of ketamine.
He was 54.
In a statement given at the time of its launch, his family said: “It is important to us, as a family, to honor Matthew’s legacy. The potential that the Matthew Perry Foundation has to help those suffering from this disease is something we are proud to bring to the world.”
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