Matthew Perry’s dream of establishing a foundation for people struggling with substance abuse has been realized. The Matthew Perry Foundation is officially up and running and accepting donations. Before his untimely death, Perry planned to start a foundation to help others overcome alcohol and drug abuse.
Perry was quoted previously as saying, “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.” He added, “Addiction is far too powerful for anyone to defeat alone. But together, one day at a time, we can beat it down.” After his sudden passing, his loved ones and friends had hoped to turn his dream into reality, and that has now happened.
A statement accompanying the announcement of the foundation reads, “In the spirit of Matthew Perry’s enduring commitment to helping others struggling with the disease of addiction, we embark on a journey to honor his legacy by establishing the Matthew Perry Foundation, guided by his own words and experiences and driven by his passion for making a difference in as many lives as possible. To support the work of the foundation, please go to matthewperryfoundation.org. Thank you.”
The foundation is sponsored and maintained by the National Philanthropic Trust, a public charity dedicated to providing philanthropic expertise to donors, foundations and financial institutions, that has raised more than $49 billion since its launch. Perry, a recovering addict, was found unconscious Saturday, October 28, in a hot tub at his L.A. home by first responders who were unable to revive him.
An autopsy has been conducted, but the cause of death has been deferred pending the results of toxicology reports. He was 54. The comedic actor is best known for playing the sassy and snappy but friendly Chandler Bing on “Friends” during the hit Warner Bros. T.V. series’ 10-season run on NBC. At the time of his passing, numerous tributes came pouring in for the actor, most notably from his “Friends” co-stars.
Jennifer Aniston wrote on Instagram, “Oh boy, this one has cut deep. Having to say goodbye to our Matty has been an insane wave of emotions that I’ve never experienced before. We all experience loss at some point in our lives. Loss of life or loss of love. Being able to really SIT in this grief allows you to feel the moments of joy and gratitude for having loved someone that deep. And we loved him deeply. He was such a part of our DNA. We were always the 6 of us.”
David Schwimmer thanked Perry “for ten incredible years of laughter and creativity,” writing on Instagram, “I will never forget your impeccable comic timing and delivery. You could take a straight line of dialogue and bend it to your will, resulting in something so entirely original and unexpectedly funny it still astonishes. And you had heart. Which you were generous with and shared with us, so we could create a family out of six strangers.”
He continued, “This photo is from one of my favorite moments with you. Now, it makes me smile and grieve at the same time. I imagine you up there, somewhere, in the same white suit, hands in your pockets, looking around—Could there BE any more clouds?”