A new nonprofit organization is being launched in memory of actor Matthew Perry.
Those closest to the “Friends” actor have announced the formation of the Matthew Perry Foundation, which aims to help people battle drug and alcohol addiction.
“The Matthew Perry Foundation is the realization of Matthew’s enduring commitment to helping others struggling with the disease of addiction,” the website’s mission statement reads. “It will honor his legacy and be guided by his own words and experiences and driven by his passion for making a difference in as many lives as possible.”
Perry had been planning the new foundation in the months before his death, according to TMZ.
The site also contains a powerful quote from Perry that reads:
“When I die, I don’t want ‘Friends’ to be the first thing that’s mentioned – I want helping others to be the first thing that’s mentioned. And I’m going to live the rest of my life proving that. Addiction is far too powerful for anyone to defeat alone. But together, one day at a time, we can beat it down.”
Perry passed away on Saturday after he was discovered unresponsive in his hot tub.
Authorities confirmed Perry was already dead when first responders reached his home in the Pacific Palisades.
Emergency responders got to his home at 4:07 p.m. Saturday. The person who made the 911 call told responders they got back to the house and saw Perry completely underwater in the hot tub, the L.A. Fire Department said.
That person pulled Perry’s head above water and over to the side of the hot tub. A quick assessment by first responders revealed he was already deceased.
“Firefighters pulled the victim out of the jacuzzi and did a quick medical assessment to find he was deceased,” the LAFD said in a statement.
The identity of the 911 caller has not yet been released by official sources, but multiple reports say it was Perry’s assistant.
Perry had played pickleball earlier that day and sources say there were indications he appeared fatigued during that outing, hours before his death.
The 54-year-old’s cause of death has not yet been determined.