“Friends” star Matthew Perry’s 54-year-old life came to a tragic end last month following a ketamine overdose, according to the autopsy report released on Friday. The report reveals that Perry had similar quantities of ketamine in his system as a hospital patient under general anesthetic. Moreover, he was found face-down in the jacuzzi that adjoins the swimming pool at his Los Angeles home at 4.17 pm on October 28.
Perry, who claimed in his best-selling 2022 memoir to have finally overcome his addictions with the help of a sober coach and his best friend, received some criticism from his close friend. The deceased had lied about being clean and was never clean, claimed the friend who preferred to remain anonymous. “He could be quite a manipulative person when it came to his struggles with using, but it was such a struggle, such a battle, and he battled every day to the end,” the source told the Daily Mail.
The Los Angeles coroner’s office said on Friday, “The County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner determined the cause of death for 54-year-old actor Matthew Langford Perry as the acute effects of ketamine. Contributing factors in Mr Perry’s death include drowning, coronary artery disease, and the effects of buprenorphine.” According to the autopsy report, Perry died from the ‘acute effects of ketamine’ and drowned.
The manner of death was ruled as an accident. Perry had a history of substance abuse and had been to rehab several times in his life but claimed in his memoir that he had overcome his addiction. However, as stated in the autopsy report, Perry’s “blood tested positive for buprenorphine, which is used to treat opioid use disorder.”
While Perry’s fans mourn his tragic death and the entertainment media highlights his achievements as an actor, this revelation has once again emphasized the reality of addiction. Perry’s struggle shows how difficult it can be for someone to overcome a substance use disorder fully. His life and death make an explanation for the challenges that addiction presents to everyone, including the rich and famous.
In conclusion, despite his claim to have overcome his addiction, the overdose of ketamine in his system demonstrates that he was never entirely clean. The autopsy report has brought to light Perry’s struggles with addiction, which have remained unshared until his final moments. It has also served as a reminder of how deeply personal addiction can be and how the disease can impact even the most successful and accomplished individuals.