Matthew Perry's Stepfather Keith Morrison Reveals Actor Was 'Happy' Prior to His Shocking Death: 'He Had That Fiery Personality'

Keith Morrison is opening up about the untimely passing of stepson Matthew Perry.

During a Wednesday, March 13, appearance on Hoda Kotb's "Making Space" podcast, the Dateline host, 76, gave insight into the Friends star's temperament before he passed away at age 54.

"Toward the end of his life, they were closer than I've seen them for decades," Morrison explained of his wife Suzanne's relationship with Perry.

"He was happy, and he said so. And he hadn't said that for a long time. So it's a source of comfort, but also he didn't get to have his third act, and that's not fair," the television personality noted. "He had that kind of very fiery personality, and mine is not like that, as you can imagine."

As for the sitcom star's substance abuse battle, Morrison said, "He felt like he was beating it. But you never beat it, and he knew that, too."

The journalist also opened up about his own grieving process and how the loss has continued to affect him and his loved ones. "As other people have told me hundreds of times, it doesn't go away. It’s with you every day. It’s with you all the time, and there’s some new aspect of it that assaults your brain," Morrison said.

“It’s not easy. Especially for his mom," he noted of his spouse's experience.

"It was the news you never want to get, but you think someday you might," the new correspondent revealed when asked if news of Perry's passing surprised him. "Yes and no, I guess is the answer to that."

Morrison adoringly called his late stepson "a larger-than-life person," noting how he was "always the center of attention everywhere he went" because of his "goofy" and "funny" personality.

"That's gone, but you still feel the echo of it everywhere," he somberly explained.

As OK! previously reported, Perry was found unconscious in his hot tub on October 28, 2023. According to the County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner, the 17 Again star's cause of death was acute effects of ketamine.

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According to the report, other contributing factors included drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine, which is used in the treatment of opioid use disorder.

“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother,” Perry's family said in a joint statement. “Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend. You all meant so much to him and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love.”