Matthew Perry’s younger sister, Caitlin Morrison, and stepfather, Keith Morrison, have broken their silence almost a year after the star’s tragic death.
The Friends actor rose to fame playing Chandler Bing on the NBC comedy from 1994 to 2004 and was found dead in his hot tub on October 28, 2023 at the age of 54.
The cause of his death was revealed to be due to the “acute effects” of the anesthetic ketamine after receiving three injections of the drug, and five people have been arrested since they were arrested as part of an investigation into his death.
Keith, 77, and his daughter Caitlin, whose mother is Suzanne Morrison, gave a joint interview to HELLO! Canada about Mateo as they talked about the work they have been doing in his memory.
Caitlin, 43, is executive director of Canada’s Matthew Perry Foundation and told the outlet that doing the work makes her feel like, “I’m sitting next to Matthew, working with him every day on something that was important to him.” “. ‘
Matthew Perry’s younger sister Caitlin Morrison, 43, and stepfather Keith Morrison, 77, have broken their silence almost a year after the star’s tragic death; late star seen in 2017 in New York
“I have the treasure of being able to have him very, very close to my life all the time, which is wonderful,” she continued.
The organization Caitlin currently runs is separate from the Matthew Perry Foundation USA, which was launched shortly after his death.
Caitlin also said HELLO! he had the ability to ‘fill a room with light’ and added: ‘When people were in a room with (him), there was this magnetic energy.’
“Everyone had a smile on their face and hung on to everything he said,” Perry’s sister said.
Perry’s stepfather, who married Matthew’s mother in 1981, also told the outlet: “(Matthew) would like to be remembered for doing something to help people suffering from addiction.”
He added that it was “incredibly shocking” when the actor “died suddenly” last year at his Pacific Palisades home.
Keith continued: “Anyone who has lost a child will tell you that even if you are somewhat prepared for the possibility, it is devastating.”
“What we’ve decided to do is hold on to that determination and try to do something useful.”
Caitlin is executive director of the Matthew Perry Foundation of Canada and said that doing the work makes her feel like she is “sitting next to Matthew, working with him every day on something that was important to him”; Caitlin and Matthew seen above
The Friends actor rose to fame playing Chandler Bing on the NBC comedy from 1994 to 2004 and was found dead in his hot tub on October 28, 2023 at the age of 54; seen in 2006
Along with Caitlin, who was his half-sister, Matthew had four other siblings: half-sisters Emily Morrison, Maria Perry, Madeline Morrison, and his half-brother, Will Morrison.
In the late actor’s memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, he opened up about his relationship with Caitlin and wrote that he “loved her instantly” when she was born.
in it official website for him Matthew Perry Foundation of Canada, Caitlin gave insight into her relationship with the 17 Again star.
In the biography section, she was described as “Matthew’s little sister, a wide-eyed girl who thought (still thinks) her brother was the coolest human being who ever lived.”
It was also revealed what he had “learned” from Perry, including “how to properly spread popcorn, how to ‘edit’ a report card, and how to perform ‘Who’s on First’ with perfect comedic timing.”
However, the “best” thing Matthew taught Caitlin was “that no matter how many times you fail, you won’t fail until you stop trying.”
And in an opinion article published in the toronto star On Wednesday, he reflected further on his death and establishing the foundation following his battle with addiction.
“There was nothing unique about the pain I felt when my brother died last year,” he wrote.
Caitlin also said HELLO! he had the ability to ‘fill a room with light’ and added: ‘When people were in a room with (him), there was this magnetic energy’; seen in 2016 in London
Matthew’s death became public following the shocking news, which Caitlin admitted felt “unusual.”
He later added: “People often assume that unusual things make loss more difficult.” They say things like, “I’m sorry for your loss. Especially with all the attention. It must make it so much harder.”
“I sincerely thank them, but I’m often tempted to tell them they’re wrong,” Caitlin continued.
“Every year, thousands of families in Canada feel the bitter shock and unfathomable sadness that I felt when they learned of a loss like mine.”
“In 2023, that shock will affect a family every 41 minutes on average. “Imagine the panic magazine editors would feel if they had to print a new cover for every addiction victim…” added Perry’s younger brother.
“Loss is a lonely thing and sharing my loss with the world took away some of the loneliness.”
Caitlin also wrote: ‘It was similar for my brother. He felt all the agony of living with addiction: the eternal battle between the desire to be free of substance use and the obsession with using them.’
‘Waging that internal war in the spotlight brought detente to the company. He gave a purpose to his own struggle: he could help others, make them feel less alone.’
In the biography section, she was described as “Matthew’s little sister, a wide-eyed girl who thought (still thinks) her brother was the coolest human being who ever lived”; seen in 2012 in Los Angeles
And in an op-ed published in the Toronto Star on Wednesday, he reflected further on his death and the establishment of the foundation after his battle with addiction; seen in 2017
He explained that the Canadian foundation “was built as a love letter from his family to him, a way to be with him in a world in which he no longer lives…”
Caitlin’s first interview after her brother’s death comes just weeks after a The California doctor pleaded guilty for his role in Matthew Perry’s fatal overdose.
Mark Chaves arrived at a Los Angeles court on October 2 where he formally pleaded guilty to illegally distributing ketamine. The judge accepted the request.
He faces up to 10 years in prison, even if he takes a plea deal. He will be sentenced on April 2, 2025.
Before the court hearing, Chaves agreed to stop practicing medicine and surrendered his passport to authorities.
It is understood Chavez sold ketamine pills to Dr Salvador Plasencia, who is accused of then providing them to Perry.
Plasencia faces separate charges, to which he has pleaded not guilty.
Plasencia is accused of texting Chavez: “I wonder how much this asshole is paying” when he learned Perry was looking for ketamine.
Perry battled addiction for years, dating back to his time on Friends, when he became one of the biggest stars of his generation as Chandler Bing; Perry seen with the cast of Friends in 1994
His attorney Matthew Binninger said after Chavez’s first court appearance on Aug. 30 that he is “incredibly remorseful” and is “trying to do everything in his power to right the wrong that occurred here.”
Perry was found dead by his assistant and the medical examiner later ruled that the primary cause of death was ketamine.
The actor had been using the medication through his regular doctor in a legal but unapproved treatment for depression that has become increasingly common.
Perry battled addiction for years, dating back to his time on Friends, when he became one of the biggest stars of his generation as Chandler Bing.
