Fans of Friends star Matthew Perry are praising the actor for the work he did to remove the stigma attached to addiction before his shocking death.
Perry passed away at the age of 54 on 28 October, when he was found unresponsive at his home in Los Angeles.
His death came a year after he opened up about his life and his experience with drug addiction in his memoir, Friends, Lovers and The Big Terrible Thing, in which he described how his drug addiction advanced and the treatment he received to help tackle it.
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As he sought to stay off drugs, Perry used his experience to try and help other people living with addiction, both through speaking openly about his own life and by setting up a facility for sober living.
Before his death, Perry opened up in an interview on the Q With Tom Power podcast about how being able to help someone who was living with addiction was 'the best thing' about him.
“When I die, I don’t want Friends to be the first thing that’s mentioned," Perry explained. "I want that [helping people with addiction] to be the first thing that’s mentioned. And I’m gonna live the rest of my life proving that.”
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In the wake of his death, Perry's fans are now honoring his wishes by celebrating everything the star did to remove the stigma around addiction.
One tribute to the actor said: "In his recent book Matthew Perry said he was finally sober, doing well & this was his last chance at life & he didn’t want to waste it!
"The charity work he has done supporting addicts, creating sober houses is incredible & something he didn’t ever shout about!"
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Another fan who admitted they'd 'never actually watched friends as a whole', said they had a 'connection' to Perry as they themselves were 13 years sober.
"Imo all addicts and alcoholics have a connection in a way," they continued.
"Throwing yourself into the constant destigmatization of an illness which is seen as a character flaw (though there is evidence to distinctly show otherwise) is not for the faint of heart. perry dedicated a lot of life to doing just that.
"I hope he rests easy knowing that people are alive today because of his work, both on and off the screen."
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A third comment read: "Such tragic news about Matthew Perry, yes Friends was an institution, but his work highlighting addiction through his own struggles was equally inspired."
In November 2022, Perry shared a video on Instagram in which he stressed that he wanted people living with addiction to 'understand that they're not alone'.
"Their behaviour is not insane," he continued. "They have a disease and it’s not their fault.”
If you want friendly, confidential advice about drugs, you can call American Addiction Centers on (888) 830-7624 24 hours, seven days a week, or contact them through their website
Topics: Drugs, Mental Health, Health, Matthew Perry, Friends, Celebrity
Emily Brown