Truth revealed about Matthew Perry’s death

LA County Medical examiner rules Matthew Perry’s cause of death was accidental

TORONTO, December 18, 2023 – The Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office released a report on Friday revealing that Matthew Perry’s death was attributed to the “acute effects” of the drug ketamine and has been ruled as accidental. The autopsy disclosed multiple factors contributing to the actor’s demise, including drowning, coronary artery disease, and the presence of the opioid drug buprenorphine.

Despite Perry’s reported 19 months of sobriety, the report indicated that he had undergone ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety, with his last treatment occurring one and a half weeks before his tragic death. Perry, known for his role as Chandler Bing on the smash hit TV comedy series Friends, was discovered face down in his hot tub by his assistant after playing pickleball earlier in the day.

Matthew Perry Autopsy Results

The autopsy further noted that the levels of ketamine in Perry’s body were consistent with general anesthesia levels used in surgery, raising concerns about the actor’s ability to maintain consciousness while in the pool. The medical toxicologist reviewing the case emphasized the high risk associated with using sedative drugs in a pool or hot tub, especially when alone, labeling the incident as extremely risky and, sadly, fatal.

Looking Back

55 Vicodin Pills A Day

In his memoir “Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing,” Matthew Perry provides a candid account of his life, delving into his time on “Friends” and the struggles with addiction that plagued him. Perry traces the origins of his addiction back to his first drink at 14, escalating to a consistent alcohol intake by 18. A jet ski accident during the filming of “When Fools Rush In” led to a prescription for Vicodin, marking the onset of his pill addiction. At one point, Perry consumed a staggering 55 Vicodin pills daily, resorting to various tactics to obtain them.

Rehab

The actor’s journey through detox, rehab, and numerous relapses is chronicled, revealing the extent of his battles with substance abuse. Perry faced life-threatening moments, including a coma in 2018 after his colon exploded, leading to extensive surgeries and living with a colostomy bag for nine months. Despite attending thousands of AA meetings and spending millions on recovery, Perry continued to grapple with addiction.

.“Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing,” not only does the actor recount memories of his time on “Friends” — both sober and not — but he also details the many relapses he’d gone through and how his addiction started.

Struggles with addiction

To attain Vicodim, his tactics included feigning migraines or other pain symptoms and undergoing MRIs with different doctors. Additionally, on Sundays, he would attend open houses, meticulously searching the medicine cabinets of various homes in pursuit of any available pills.

Two-week coma

In 2018, Perry faced a life-threatening situation when his colon exploded, resulting in a two-week coma. During this critical period, his family was informed that he had only a 2% chance of survival. Subsequently, Perry underwent treatment on an ECMO machine, sharing the hospital space with four others, all of whom tragically did not survive. Following this harrowing experience, he endured nine months of living with a colostomy bag.

Over the course of his life, Perry reveals that he has participated in 6,000 AA meetings, undergone rehab 15 times, experienced detoxification on 65 occasions, been on life support, and invested between $7-$9 million in efforts to achieve sobriety. His journey includes undergoing 14 surgeries, with the most recent one in January 2022 leaving him with a six-inch incision held together by metal staples.

Switzerland during COVID

Amid the COVID pandemic, Perry found himself in a Swiss rehab centre, where he simulated pain to obtain 1,800 milligrams of Oxycontin daily and received daily ketamine infusions. While undergoing surgery in Switzerland, he was administered a shot of propofol. Astonishingly, he woke up 11 hours later in a different hospital, learning that the propofol had stopped his heart for five minutes. The prolonged CPR process resulted in eight broken ribs, and the doctor refused further medication.

Upon leaving Switzerland, he was assured that he would continue to receive 1,800 milligrams at an L.A. hospital. However, he encountered a denial, with the doctor explaining that cancer patients receive only 100 milligrams. Undeterred, Perry spent $175,000 on a private jet to fly back to Switzerland the same night.

This was simply one of his near-death experiences Perry recalled in the book, while also opening up about his personal family relationships, friendships, romances and set experiences.

After Perry’s colon exploded in 2018 and he had to have a colostomy bag, he was prescribed opiates — which were the reason his colon exploded in the first place. Perry was living at home with a sober companion and a nurse, but was no longer getting high from the amount of drugs he was given. He then turned to a drug dealer to buy Oxy. “The street pills were something like $75 per pill, so I was giving the guy $3,000 at a time, many times a week.”

14 milligrams of Ativan and 60 milligrams of OxyContin

He was sent to rehab on 14 milligrams of Ativan and 60 milligrams of OxyContin; his tests also showed there was fentanyl in his system.

One night in treatment, he wandered into a hallway: “I’ll never be able to fully explain what happened next, but all of a sudden, I started slamming my head against the wall, as hard as humanly possible… There was blood everywhere. After about eight of these mind-numbing slams, somebody must have heard me, and stopped me, and asked the only logical question: ‘Why are you doing that?’ I gazed at her, and looking like Rocky Balboa from every one of those last scenes, I said, ‘Because I couldn’t think of anything better.’”

Weight Gain during the filming of “Friends”

He wrote that viewers “can track the trajectory” of his addiction from his weight: “When I’m carrying weight, it’s alcohol; when I’m skinny, it’s pills. When I have a goatee, it’s lots of pills.”

Monica & Chandler’s Wedding

During Season 7, he was living in a sober home, and was driven by the centre to and from set each day — including the day he filmed Monica and Chandler’s wedding.

Friends Seasons 8 & 9

In between Seasons 8 and 9, Matthew Perry went to rehab and the entire world knew — so, at the first table read back, he was the first to crack a joke about it when all eyes were on him. “Kevin Bright, one of the shows executive producers, had opened the proceedings by saying, ‘Anyone want to talk about their summer vacations?’ and I took the opportunity to break the ice, saying rather loudly and soberly, ‘OK! I’ll start!’ thus releasing all the tension in the room.”

Sober Season 9

Season 9 was the only season Perry was fully sober for — and was the only time he was nominated for an Emmy for the show. He thanked his co-stars multiple times.

Trudeau at age 10

When he was 10, as his mom began working for PM Pierre Trudeau, he “beat up Pierre’s son (an eventual prime minister himself) Justin Trudeau,” Perry wrote. “(I decided to end my argument with him when he was put in charge of an entire army.)” Perry and Trudeau both attended Rockcliffe Park elementary, a public school located in one of Ottawa’s wealthiest neighborhoods and frequented by the children of ambassadors and politicians.  While being a guest on Jimmy Kimmel, Perry recalled he was in grade 5 at the time while Trudeau was a few years younger.

Bad boy behaviour continued, and one teacher told him, “If you don’t change the way you are, you’ll never amount to anything.” He added, “(Should I admit that when I got the cover of ‘People’ magazine I had a copy of it sent to Dr. Webb with a note that read, “I guess you were wrong”? Nah, that would be crass.) I did.”

How Matthew Perry wants to be remembered

While publicizing his book Perry was asked how he wanted to be remembered, “”I take immense pride in the fact that, without a doubt, my greatest attribute is the ability to respond affirmatively when someone reaches out, confessing, ‘I can’t overcome my drinking problem, can you assist me?’ I not only say ‘yes’ but also actively follow through. When my time comes to an end, I hope people remember me for my commitment to helping others with their struggles, rather than associating me solely with ‘Friends.’ I am determined to spend the remainder of my life validating this commitment.”

by Myles Shane

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