Investigations have revealed that the death of "Friends" sitcom star Matthew Perry was due to "acute effects" of ketamine misuse, as announced by the Los Angeles County Department of Forensic Medicine on Friday, December 15, 2023.
However, the same source also clarified that other contributing factors to his death, which was described as "accidental," included "drowning," "coronary artery disease," and "effects of buprenorphine," a medication used for treating opioid addiction.
Ketamine is a drug primarily used for medical and veterinary anesthesia but is sometimes misused recreationally.
Perry was found dead in his hot tub at his Los Angeles home on October 28th.
At 54 years old, the actor, particularly known for his role as Chandler Bing in "Friends," had struggled for years to overcome his addiction to prescription drugs and alcohol, turning to rehabilitation centers numerous times.
In his memoirs published last year, Perry admitted to having undergone 65 rehab sessions to combat his addiction, spending over $9 million in the process.
He underwent several surgeries related to his drug addiction issues, including a seven-hour colon operation in 2018, even going so far as to say, "I was supposed to be dead."
During his latest TV appearance, Perry surprised his audience by confessing that he suffered from intense anxiety "every night" during the filming of "Friends."
Perry gained fame for his humorous role as Chandler Bing in the "Friends" series, which enjoyed massive popularity and aired for ten seasons from 1994 to 2004 on NBC, featuring 230 episodes.
Alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer, Matthew Perry contributed to the success of this TV series beloved by millions, especially among the younger generation in the United States and worldwide.
The comedy series chronicled the adventures of a group of friends – Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Joey, Ross, and Chandler – in New York City.
In the final stages of the series, each of the six main actors was earning about one million dollars per episode. According to Variety magazine, they even sought $2.5 million each for filming a reunion episode that aired in 2021.
During the reunion episode, Matthew Perry raised concerns among his fans due to his evident speech impediment.
