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Matthew Perry’s mother has opened up about her last conversation with her son before his death.
In an emotional sit-down with the Today show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, Suzanne Morrison sat beside Perry’s other family members as she reflected on her relationship with her son, before his death last year following an accidental drug overdose from ketamine. The full interview is set to air on October 28, 2024, the one-year anniversary of the Friends actor’s death.
Sitting beside her husband, Perry’s stepfather Keith Morrison, Suzanne recalled a heartfelt conversation she shared with her son.
“He came up to me and said, ‘I love you so much and I’m so happy to be with you now,’” she shared. “It was almost as though it was a premonition of something. I didn’t think about it at the time but I thought, ‘How long has it been since we’ve had a conversation like that. It’s been years.’”
“I think there was something… there was an inevitability to what was going to happen next to him, and he felt it very strongly,” she continued. “But he said, ‘I’m not frightened anymore.’ And it worried me.”
Guthrie noted the Today interview will mark the first time since Perry’s death that his loved ones have publicly “spoken about” his passing.
“There’s so much pain and sorrow, but [they] also have a real sense of purpose about the work that he was doing, helping others get sober,” the news anchor said. “It was the purpose of his life, and so there’s some stuff to announce around that too.”
The 54-year-old actor’s passing was initially reported as a drowning, after he was found dead in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home. The Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s Office later determined the cause was due to the “acute effects of ketamine.”
Los Angeles authorities launched a seven-month investigation, uncovering the actor had been undergoing ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety. Prosecutors said Perry had been taking unsupervised doses of the drug and that his addiction was “out of control,” NBC News reported.
According to court filings, Dr. Salvador Plasencia allegedly supplied Perry with ketamine, while the actor’s assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, reportedly administered the fatal injection on the day of Perry’s death.
Dr. Mark Chavez, a San Diego ketamine clinic owner, was charged with conspiring to distribute the drug. Erik Fleming, a friend of a friend, and Jasveen Sangha, known as the “ketamine queen,” were also implicated in the alleged drug supply chain.
While Iwamasa and two other defendants reached a plea agreement, Sangha and Plasencia entered not-guilty pleas. Earlier this month, Chavez pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges, having been out on bond after surrendering his medical license and passport as part of his release conditions.
If you or someone you know is suffering from drug addiction, you can seek confidential help and support 24-7 from Frank, by calling 0300 123 6600, texting 82111, sending an email or visiting their website here.
In the US, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration can be reached at 1-800-662-HELP.
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