Matthew Perry, who tragically died on at age 54 from an apparent drowning, once revealed his fears of dying from his years-long struggle with drug addiction.
During a 2002 interview during one of the times he sobered up, Perry told the New York Times, “I didn’t get sober because I felt like it. I got sober because I was worried I was going to die the next day.”
The beloved “Friends” star was reportedly found unresponsive in his jacuzzi by his assistant on Saturday. There were no drugs found at the scene.
Before his death, Perry was outspoken about his ongoing struggles with drugs and alcohol.
The actor got addicted to Vicodin, once admitting he was taking 55 pills a day, following a 1997 jet skiing accident. Soon after, he entered rehab for the first time.
By 2001, the “Whole Nine Yards” star had hit rock bottom and entered rehab for two and a half months.
“Everything’s clear for one split second,” he told the Times in 2002. “I realize, I’ve got to go save myself. I got on the phone and called the people who were willing to help me.”
He also told People at the time that it was scary and he didn’t want to die, adding that he was “grateful” it got bad so he could work harder to get better.
In 2022, while promoting his tell-all memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, the “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip” star revealed he spent nearly $10 million trying to get sober over the years.
Read more about Matthew Perry’s life and struggles:
- 55 Vicodin & a quart of vodka: The most shocking tales from Matthew Perry’s tell-all memoir
- Matthew Perry: How to tell which drugs I used during ‘Friends’
- Matthew Perry reveals why he broke up with Julia Roberts in the ’90s
- Matthew Perry claims Cameron Diaz once punched him in the face on secret date
- Matthew Perry, Valerie Bertinelli made out while Eddie Van Halen was passed out
He was also hospitalized when he was 49 after his colon burst from opioid overuse.
“The doctors told my family that I had a 2 percent chance to live,” Perry told People. “I was put on a thing called an ECMO machine, which does all the breathing for your heart and your lungs. And that’s called a Hail Mary. No one survives that.”
He added. “My therapist said, ‘The next time you think about taking Oxycontin, just think about having a colostomy bag for the rest of your life, and a little window opened, and I crawled through it and I no longer want Oxycontin anymore.”
Perry was last seen six days before his death out with a friend in Los Angeles. The actor looked relaxed and happy during his final public outing.
Friends and celebrities have been paying tribute to the late actor on social media since news broke of his passing.
“What a loss. The world will miss you Mathew Perry . The joy you brought to so many in your too short lifetime will live on. I feel so very blessed by every creative moment we shared. ♥️,” his former “Friends” co-star, Maggie Wheeler, said.
“He struggled so much with addiction and was brave enough to be open and honest about it. I’m so sorry to his family and friends who are getting the news today. Nothing short of heartbreaking. Rest in love, Matthew Perry,” Olivia Munn wrote.
The other cast members of “Friends,” including Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox and Lisa Kudrow, have yet to release statements.
