Matthew Perry's Legacy

The tragic loss of Matthew Perry is still being felt around the world. We’re sure you remember him from the same iconic television show we all do. But ask yourself this: can you name one other movie or TV show that he starred in? In his memoir, "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing," Perry detailed how he hoped to be remembered for all the good he did and not for his role in “Friends.”

Before his stardom, Matthew Perry trained to become a professional tennis player. He was nationally ranked by age 14, but after moving to the U.S. and realizing it would be harder to succeed as a professional tennis player there, he decided to try acting.

After struggling with addiction for decades, Perry decided to dedicate his life to helping others get and stay sober. He spent $9 million on his own recovery and worked hard to step in and help others before they did the same. His powerful memoir details all his struggles and reminds those struggling that they are not alone.

Before his memoir, Matthew Perry opened the Perry House, a sober living facility for men, in 2013. It was originally his Malibu beach house that he converted into a safe space for men trying to stay sober. In 2015, Perry closed the living facility because the business wasn’t working in the way he had hoped. It was a beach house that was incredibly expensive and not as accessible as he would’ve liked. He planned to relocate to a new, less expensive location prior to his death.

Perry helped many people recover, including actor Hank Azaria. The two met when Perry was only 16 and Azaria was 21. From that moment on, they were best friends. They spent lots of time helping each other get through fame, drinking and laughing together. Even during Perry’s addiction, he was able to help Azaria get through his own alcohol abuse. "I'm a sober guy for 17 years, and I wanna say that, the night I went into AA [Alcoholics Anonymous], Matthew brought me in," Azaria said. “The whole first year I was sober, we went to meetings together. He was so caring and giving. He totally helped me get sober.”

Since his passing, a foundation has been established in Matthew Perry's name by his close friends to keep his legacy alive. His goal was to help as many people as possible in a way that people couldn’t help him. The Matthew Perry Foundation was launched by the National Philanthropic Trust, a nonprofit organization that works with donors and foundations. The foundation is open for donations that will go towards helping people recover from addiction.

If you or anyone you know is struggling with alcohol abuse or drug addiction, contact the SAMHSA National Helpline (1-800-662-4357).