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Jennifer Aniston is opening up about her friend and co-star, Matthew Perry and his long battle with addiction. The remarks come as fans and loved ones prepare to commemorate the second anniversary of Perry’s untimely passing due to the effect of acute ketamine intoxication.
A Beloved ‘Friend’ Remembered
Perry is best known for his role as Chandler Bing on the hit 90s sitcom Friends. For ten seasons, Aniston played alongside him as Rachel Green.
In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, she describes her co-star’s harrowing fight against drug and alcohol dependency, saying she and her castmates “did everything we could when we could.”
A Long and Heartbreaking Journey
Perry passed away at the age of 54, after grappling for most of his adult life with substance abuse. Throughout his run on Friends, he fought through numerous relapses
It was Aniston, his long-time, real-life friend and former crush, who first confronted Perry about his problem drinking on the set of Friends. It was a pivotal moment that first inspired Perry to admit he had a problem and to seek treatment.
Perry recounted in his memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, that the conversation was a “scary” moment for him but one for which he was thankful. In an interview with Diane Sawyer in 2022, Perry recalls, “She was the one who reached out the most. I am truly grateful to her for that.”
Having witnessed his heartbreaking, decades-long journey, Aniston revealed that she mourned him before he was gone, recognizing that his battle was “a hard one to fight.” In joint statements following the actor’s death, his Friends co-stars express their love and shared grief, while finding solace in the belief that their friend has found peace at last.
An Enduring Legacy
Perry’s story will not end with his tragic death. Despite his own long battle and his struggle with relapse, Perry spent the final decades of his life advocating for those in recovery. He proclaimed his greatest achievement not to be his acting successes. Rather, what Perry was most proud of was his role as advocate, helping others get into treatment and achieve health and sobriety.
To date, four persons have been criminally charged in relation to Perry’s death. This includes Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who has pleaded guilty to four counts of distribution of ketamine, a felony that carries a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.
And perhaps Perry’s most enduring legacy will lie in shining a spotlight on the unethical practices of some clinicians with authorized access to highly regulated and dangerous drugs, such as the drug that ultimately took Perry’s life.
With stricter enforcement of drug statutes among medical professionals, deaths like Perry’s and others, including music icons Michael Jackson and Prince, might have been prevented.
The Courage to Share Your Own Story
Perry was open about his struggle with addiction. In his memoir, which was published not long before his death, he was real about the toll alcoholism and pill addiction took on his life and career.
He shared the raw details of his turbulent journey to sobriety, offering a candid look at his experiences with addiction in the hopes of reaching others in the same situation.
Matthew Perry had the courage to be honest about his pain. You can find the courage as well. If you are struggling with drug or alcohol addiction, tell your own story. Reach out for help today.
You are not alone, and there is always hope of recovery. Call
800-914-7089
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today or use Rehabs.org to find an affordable treatment center near you.
A better tomorrow awaits.
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