Matthew Perry's Dream To Help Addicts Becomes A Reality Post-Death

Months before Matthew Perry's untimely passing, he envisioned The Matthew Perry Foundation, aimed at aiding those grappling with addiction. Following his death, his vision has been actualized as the foundation is officially a reality.

The foundation's mission is driven by Perry's commitment to assist those battling substance abuse, as he candidly discussed his struggles in his memoir.

Months before his untimely passing, Matthew Perry conceived The Matthew Perry Foundation, an organization dedicated to helping those battling drug and alcohol addiction.

Now, following his death, the "Friends" star's legacy to support individuals in their journey to overcome substance abuse will live on through The Matthew Perry Foundation.

A statement accompanying the foundation's announcement read: "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."

At the moment, The Matthew Perry Foundation, which operates as a donor-advised fund under the sponsorship and management of the National Philanthropic Trust, only offers a donation option.

Before his passing, Perry openly shared his prolonged battle with alcohol and opioid addiction in his memoir, "Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing." Perry revealed that at the peak of his addiction, particularly during his later years on "Friends," he was consuming a staggering 55 Vicodin pills daily.

While promoting his book, The "Fools Rush In" star disclosed to The New York Times that he had achieved 18 months of sobriety and had "probably spent $9 million or something trying to get sober." He was deeply committed to maintaining his sobriety and aspired to assist others facing similar struggles.

Perry also talked about his legacy and expressed his desire to be remembered for helping others rather than his acting career, stating: "When I die, I don't want 'Friends' to be the first thing that's mentioned — I want to help 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."

On October 28, Perry was discovered lifeless in his jacuzzi at his Los Angeles residence after his assistant returned home from errands and made an immediate 911 call, alerting Perry's mother and a sibling.

While investigators suspect that the actor drowned, an official cause of death is yet to be announced; however, no illegal substances were found at the scene, but prescription medications, including anti-depressants and anti-anxiety drugs, were seized.

In an interview on Today, "Friends" co-creator Marta Kauffman revealed that she had recently spoken with Perry, and he appeared to be "in a really good place."

"He seemed better than I had seen in a while," she shared. "I was so thrilled to see that. He was emotionally in a good place. He looked good. He quit smoking. Yes, he was sober. He learned things throughout this and what he learned more than anything is that he wants to help other addicts, and it gave him purpose."

Five days before his tragic passing, Perry shared an Instagram post of himself in a hot tub. In the caption, he wrote, "Oh, so warm water swirling around makes you feel good? I'm Mattman."

This cryptic message was part of a series of "Mattman" posts that he started after watching the movie "The Batman" featuring Robert Pattinson in 2022.

A day before the hot tub post, the Emmy-winning actor uploaded a video of the moon with the caption, "Do you understand what I'm trying to tell you? - I'm Mattman." In another post on X (formerly Twitter), he wrote, "Let's make stigmas a stigma. -I'm Mattman #mentalhealth."

However, a source revealed to People magazine that Perry's recent "Mattman" posts were tied to an idea he was developing for a series, and "he was having fun."