New information from the 911 dispatch call for Matthew Perry’s death reveals the circumstances surrounding the “Friends” star’s tragic drowning at his Los Angeles home on Saturday. The 15-second audio, acquired by TMZ, captures a man saying the word “drowning” after Perry, 54, was found dead in a jacuzzi at his LA home.
Police said that although no drugs were found at the scene, there was also no evidence suggesting foul play. Perry gained fame in his role as ‘Chandler Bing’ on the popular 90s sitcom “Friends,” which enjoyed a successful 10-season run. Throughout his career, he has been candid about his prolonged struggle to conquer addiction to both drugs and alcohol.
Chilling 911 Dispatch Call
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The 911 dispatch call reveals a lot about the circumstances under which Perry died. “Agent 23. Rescue 23. EMS 9 on the radio. In response to the drowning,” the audio says, at times bleeping out certain words.
It was earlier reported that EMTs had rushed to his home following an emergency call for a cardiac arrest around 4 p.m. According to TMZ, Perry’s assistant made the 911 call.
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Perry was found dead in the hot tub at his home in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles shortly after 4 p.m. Images revealed a sizable white tent positioned near his pool and hot tub in the backyard.
Law enforcement officials also cordoned off the home with tape as they continued to investigate the matter.
Perry had been open about his struggles with alcohol, drugs, and health issues. Law enforcement confirmed that they were investigating his death, although they did not suspect any foul play.
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At the scene, no narcotics were found, but authorities did find anti-depressants, anti-anxiety medications, and a drug for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
In 2018, Perry’s drug use led to a life-threatening situation when his colon burst. At that time, doctors gave him a mere 2% chance of survival.
Following the emergency, he was in a coma for two weeks and underwent a five-month hospitalization. Due to the severity of the situation, he had to use a colostomy bag for nine months as part of his recovery.
On the morning of his death, Matthew had played racquet sport pickleball with a female friend. She revealed that the star had been feeling unwell and fatigued for about a week leading up to his death.
Devastated Parents Arrive
Shortly after news of his broke, Perry’s parents, Suzanne Perry and John Bennett Perry (who divorced in 1970), appeared visibly distressed outside his home. Suzanne was accompanied by her husband, Keith Morrison, known from “Dateline.”
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Just before his death, Perry had shared a rare photo on Instagram with his father, John, captioned, “Here is me, and my father John, both holding a beverage.”
Perry gained widespread fame for his portrayal of the beloved character Chandler on the iconic sitcom “Friends,” which aired from 1994 to 2004. He was cast on the show when he was 24 years old, around the period when his struggles with alcohol addiction began to emerge.
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The “Odd Couple” actor acknowledged that his fellow cast members on “Friends” were supportive, understanding, and patient as he grappled with his struggles during the show’s successful run.
Around three years after joining the show, in 1997, Perry was prescribed opioids following a jet-ski accident. Unfortunately, this led to a rapid dependency on the prescribed medication.
Perry’s addiction worsened to the point where he was consuming as many as 55 Vicodin pills daily, causing his weight to drop significantly to just 145 pounds.
Throughout the peak of his time on “Friends,” Perry frequently sought treatment. He underwent multiple cycles of rehabilitation during the decade in which he was actively filming the sitcom.
“There were years that I was sober during that time,” Perry told People last year. “Season 9 was the year that I was sober the whole way through,”
Despite intermittent periods of sobriety, Perry’s ability to maintain a drug-free life was short-lived. The consequences of his addiction took a significant toll on his health, leading to long-lasting damage.
In more recent times, Perry publicly stated that he had ultimately conquered his addiction and was in good health.
“I’m a pretty healthy guy right now,” he stated in an interview with People in November of last year.
“What I’m most surprised with is my resilience. The way that I can bounce back from all of this torture and awfulness,” he added.
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Perry was born in Massachusetts but spent a significant part of his early years in Canada.
His mother, Canadian journalist Suzanne Langford, and his father, American actor John Bennett Perry, parted ways before his first birthday. Perry’s mother later married “Dateline” journalist Keith Morrison in 1981.
Growing up in a well-off environment in Ottawa, Perry attended high school with Justin Trudeau, who serves as Canada’s current Prime Minister.
With aspirations of becoming an actor, Perry moved to Los Angeles as a teenager and began auditioning for roles in television sitcoms and dramas. He made brief appearances in shows like “Growing Pains” and “Beverly Hills, 90210” before landing his significant breakthrough with the role of Chandler on “Friends” in 1994.
Besides his iconic role on “Friends,” Perry expanded his acting career by appearing in other well-regarded shows such as Aaron Sorkin’s “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.”
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He also featured in successful films such as “Fools Rush In” (1997), “The Whole Nine Yards” (2000), and “17 Again” (2009).
While Perry didn’t marry and didn’t have children, his romantic relationships often attracted significant media attention. He dated Julia Roberts from 1995 to 1996, and Roberts even made a guest appearance on the second season of “Friends.”
He was also involved with actress Lizzy Caplan, known for her role in “Mean Girls.” Additionally, Perry was engaged to literary manager Molly Hurwitz before their separation in June 2021.
