NEWSMatthew Perry Declared He Was 'Grateful to Be Alive' Prior to Tragic Death at 54
Oct. 28 2023, Published 9:41 p.m. ET
Prior to tragically passing away at 54 years old on Saturday, October 28, Matthew Perry previously declared he was "grateful to be alive."
In his memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, which came out November 1, 2022, the Friends alum detailed his battle with addiction and how he almost died a few years ago.
In 2018, Perry got surgery for a gastrointestinal perforation. His colon later burst from opioid overuse and ended up being in a coma for two weeks.
"The doctors told my family that I had a 2 percent chance to live. 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 said about the tough time.
Matthew Perry previously released his memoir in November 2022.
Fortunately, he ended up getting sober after going to rehab 15 times.
"I think they'll be surprised at how bad it got at certain times and how close to dying I came," Perry said of how his Friends costars would react to his confessions. "I say in the book that if I did die, it would shock people, but it wouldn't surprise anybody. And that's a very scary thing to be living with. So my hope is that people will relate to it, and know that this disease attacks everybody. It doesn't matter if you're successful or not successful, the disease doesn't care."
"I'm an extremely grateful guy," he added. "I'm grateful to be alive, that's for sure. And that gives me the possibility to do anything."
The 17 Again star said he hoped he could help other people who were potentially going through something similar.
"I had to wait until I was pretty safely sober, and away from the active disease of alcoholism and addiction to write it all down," he said. "And the main thing was, I was pretty certain that it would help people."
Matthew Perry died on October 28 at 54 years old.
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Matthew Perry was previously candid about his drug struggles.
As OK! previously reported, the actor was found in a jacuzzi at a Los Angeles home on October 28, according to law enforcement sources who spoke to TMZ.
Matthew Perry appeared on 'Friends.'
According to insiders, there were no drugs found on the scene, and law enforcement doesn't believe foul play was involved. Perry's cause of death is currently unconfirmed, but it's suspected he drowned.
