Through Matthew Perry’s fifty-four years of life, many knew him as their favorite, incredibly witty sitcom character. Equipped with a joke whenever he appeared on screen, the actor brought joy to everyone around him—costars and audience members alike. Growing up watching Friends, I treasured his presence on the show, smiling when the actor brought me to uncontrollable laughter, and sometimes, bittersweet tears.
At eight years old, I simply knew him as Chandler, the one whose jokes I didn’t always understand. At seventeen, I not only laugh at every one-liner that he flawlessly delivers (“I make jokes when I’m uncomfortable”), but also have begun to understand the man who Perry was, outside of the famous television show. Battling addiction for decades, Perry eventually became sober, and spent his final years helping others to work through their own battles.
“I never raised my hands and said, ‘That’s enough, I can’t take it anymore, you win,’” wrote Matthew Perry in his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.
While celebrities often use their platforms to their own advantage, Perry directed his fame to assist others. Through his creation of the Perry House, his former Malibu Mansion that he transformed into a men’s sober living facility, Perry touched the lives of countless people. Leading up to today, Perry had begun to found an organization for those struggling with substance abuse.
“I would like to be remembered as someone who lived well, loved well, was a seeker. And his paramount thing is that he wants to help people. That’s what I want.”
Matthew Perry, we will remember you how you wished: a deeply caring human being who brought up everyone around him. Thank you.