It’s hard to believe that Matthew Perry has been gone for a year: on October 28, 2023, the beloved Friends actor was found dead in his hot tub after an accidental drug overdose at the age of 54.
A year on, there have been many developments in the case as new details have come to light, and Matthew Perry’s family have opened up in a new interview, sharing their grief over their lost loved one — and vowing that those responsible for his overdose are “going down.”
Matthew Perry’s mother Suzanne Morrison, sisters Caitlin, Madeline and Emily Morrison, and Perry’s stepfather and Dateline journalist Keith Morrison, all sat down for an interview with Today’s Savannah Guthrie, the family’s first TV interview since the actor’s passing.
Perry’s mother opened up about the lasting heartbreak of losing her son a year ago. “Even now, something funny will happen — I’ll see something funny or something ridiculous on the news, l go to call him,” Suzanne says in the interview. “I have more freedom of a relationship with him now than I ever did. And then it hits me, then hits me so hard that he’s not there.”
The sisters remembered the Friends actor as someone who brought joy and humor to all of their lives, and was always there for those in need. “He was grumpy all the time, but he was funny all the time,” Emily said. “When the people that he loved succeeded or they were scared, he would do anything for you.”
“Really all he ever wanted was to love and be loved,” she added. “He struggled so much to feel peace and I think he got to a place where he did.”
“I couldn’t help him”
Matthew Perry struggled with alcoholism and drug addiction throughout his career, including at the height of his fame as the star of Friends. They ultimately led to his untimely passing: the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office attributed his death to “acute effects of ketamine.”
His family opened up about the struggle to be there for him throughout his years of substance abuse battles. “He was always very lonely in his soul,” Suzanne said in the interview. “I’m a very lucky woman, but there was one glitch; there was one problem. I couldn’t conquer it. I couldn’t help him.”
“Even when he was struggling in dark times, we were always proud of him,” said Caitlin. “We were always proud of the fact that he kept fighting and that he made it a big focus of his life to help other people.”
Keith Morrison said that Perry “taught the world is that no amount of money will cure an addict,” and the family has been honoring his memory by operating two foundations in his name that help people struggling with addiction.
“If it doesn’t stop, we’re going to lose so many million people,” Suzanne said.
“You’re going down, baby”
Matthew Perry had been receiving Ketamine infusions, which can be used as a treatment for depression and anxiety. But the medical examiner determined that it was unlikely the high dosage of ketamine found in his system was from prescribed therapeutic treatments.
Authorities began an investigation to find the source of the drugs, and in August five people were arrested in relation to Perry’s death, including two doctors, Perry’s assistant, and Jasveen Sangha, a woman known as the “Ketamine Queen of Los Angeles” who maintained a stash house in North Hollywood.
“These defendants took advantage of Mr. Perry’s addiction issues to enrich themselves. They knew what they were doing was wrong,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said while unveiling the charges, per AP. “We’re sending a clear message. If you are in the business of selling dangerous drugs, we will hold you accountable for the deaths that you cause.”
The family said that they were aware of Perry’s Ketamine treatments but were unaware of how much of it he had been taking, and speculated that he might not have even realized he relapsed. They were happy with the arrests, hoping that those who contributed to Perry’s death face justice and that it sets an example for drug suppliers and enablers.
“What I’m hoping, and I think the agencies that they’ve got involved in this are hoping, is that people who have put themselves in the business of supplying people with the drugs that will kill them, that they are now on notice,” Keith Morrison said. “It doesn’t matter what your professional credentials are. You’re going down, baby.”
Three of the people arrested in the case have plead guilty. Two others — Dr. Salvador Plasencia and “Ketamine queen” Jasveen Sangha — have plead not guilty and denied involvement.
