Matthew Perry’s Family One Year After His Death: ‘There Was One Problem I Couldn’t Conquer’

On the one-year anniversary of his death, Matthew Perry’s family sat down with Today’s Savannah Guthrie to talk about his tragic passing and decades-long struggle with addiction. 

“I’m a very lucky woman,” said mom Suzanne Morrison. “But there was one glitch, there was one problem that I couldn’t — I couldn’t conquer it. I couldn’t help him.” On October 28, 2023, the Friends star, 54, was found dead in a hot tub at his L.A. home from the acute effects of ketamine. 

Matthew had become secretly addicted to the dissociative drug, it was later discovered, after undergoing ketamine therapy to treat his depression and anxiety. 

“We didn’t know how much he was taking,” said stepdad Keith Morrison. “[But] there was that worry of, ‘What’s he really doing?’” 

An investigation into Matthew’s death was launched, and at least five people have been charged in connection so far, including two doctors who allegedly sold him the surgical anesthetic. 

“What I’m hoping, and I think the agencies that got involved in this are hoping, [is] that people who have put themselves in the business of supplying people with the drugs that’ll kill them, they are now on notice,” said Dateline correspondent Keith. “It doesn’t matter what your professional credentials are. You’re going down.”