By Antonio Planas – NBCNews
Actor Matthew Perry died accidentally from the acute effects of ketamineas the authorities announced on Friday.
Perry, 54, died Oct. 28 at his home in Pacific Palisades.
“Contributing factors to his death included drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine (used to treat opioid use disorder). “The manner of death is accidental,” the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office said in a statement.
On the day of Perry's death, first responders responded to a 911 call at a home in Pacific Palisades at 4:07 p.m. about a “water emergency” of an unknown natureaccording to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Perry was known for his role as Chandler Bing, one of the leads on Friends, the NBC comedy of the generation
The series enjoyed great popularity and dominated prime time. It lasted 10 seasons, from 1994 to 2004.
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Perry struggled with alcohol and drug use, which led him to spend several periods in rehab. In his 2022 memoir “Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing,” the actor opened up about the harsh reality of his addiction.
It was a stark contrast to the joy he brought to his fans.
In the book, Perry talks about his alcohol consumption, his addiction to the opioid drug Vicodin after a jet ski accident, and how close he came to death in 2019 after his colon ruptured from opioid abuse.
Additionally, the actor said he started abusing drugs at the age of 14, a decade before he landed the role in the series. Fame Subsequently, his addiction to alcohol and drugs increased. According to his memories, he took almost five dozen pills every day. His weight increased from 128 to 225 pounds.