Tue | May 21, 2024

‘More investigation’ into Matthew Perry’s death

Published:Tuesday | October 31, 2023 | 12:12 AM
Pause
A person signs a message board at a makeshift memorial for Matthew Perry.
AP
A person signs a message board at a makeshift memorial for Matthew Perry.
Matthew Perry poses for a portrait on February 17, 2015, in New York. Perry, who starred as Chandler Bing in the hit series ‘Friends’, was found dead of an apparent drowning at his Los Angeles home on Saturday, according to the Los Angeles Times and ce
AP
Matthew Perry poses for a portrait on February 17, 2015, in New York. Perry, who starred as Chandler Bing in the hit series ‘Friends’, was found dead of an apparent drowning at his Los Angeles home on Saturday, according to the Los Angeles Times and celebrity website TMZs death. His publicists and other representatives did not immediately return messages seeking comment.
1
2

The medical examiner is requesting “more investigation” into Matthew Perry’s shock death.

Friends actor Matthew, 54, battled with drink and drug addictions for years before he was found dead in the hot tub of his Los Angeles mansion last Saturday, aged 54, and even though police have ruled out foul play, authorities have now warned that determining how he died may last until near Christmas.

A spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner told People that toxicology reports may take weeks to arrive.

They also added to The Hollywood Reporter when talking about why they had “deferred” his cause of death: “Deferred means that after an autopsy, a cause of death has not been determined and the medical examiner is requesting more investigation into the death, including additional studies.”

Perry is believed to have drowned, but law -enforcement sources told TMZ that first responders were scrambled for a cardiac arrest. The actor’s assistant made a frantic 911 call after the actor appeared to have suffered a heart attack.

Despite the wait for toxicology results, Perry’s body is ready to be released to his family, which means that they can start making funeral arrangements. He is believed to have been single at the time of his death after breaking up with his talent manager ex-fiancée Molly Hurwitz, 29, in 2021, after three years of dating.

He spent 10 seasons playing Chandler on Friends while struggling with a string of addictions.

Despite saying that he had kicked his drug and drink habits, he often sparked concern for his health by being seen out and about looking overweight and dishevelled.

His memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing: A Candid, Darkly Funny Book, exposed his struggles with addictions that got so severe that in 2018, at the age of 49, he suffered a gastrointestinal perforation as a result of his extreme opiate usage.

Perry – who posted a now-poignant image of himself in his hot tub on Instagram five days before he died – was given just a two per cent chance of living after being comatose for two weeks, and the actor had to use a colostomy bag while his colon healed.

FRIENDS TRIBUTE

A Matthew Perry tribute has been added to the start of every Friends season on Max.

The streamer flashes up a black remembrance card at the beginning of each of the hit sitcom’s 10 series, which shows the late actor in his heyday playing wisecracking Chandler Bing. It stays on screen for around five seconds and reads: “In memory of Matthew Perry 1969-2023.”

Perry received a primetime Emmy nomination in 2002 for his work as Chandler, with Friends moving from Netflix in 2020 to Max the same year.

The NBC show ran from 1994 to 2004.

On Sunday, Matthew’s family broke their silence on the star’s death to thank him for bringing “so much joy to the world”. His blended family included his mum, dad, two step-parents, five step-siblings, and they told fans of their grief.

They told People: “We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother. Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend.”