Matthew Perry Foundation established to help people with addiction

1744

LOS ANGELES (AP) – After his death less than a week ago, a foundation has been established in the name of Matthew Perry to help people dealing with addiction.

“In the spirit of Matthew Perry’s enduring commitment to helping others struggling with the disease of addiction, we embark on a journey to honour his legacy by establishing the Matthew Perry Foundation, guided by his own words and experiences, and driven by his passion for making a difference in as many lives as possible,” said an inaugural statement establishing the Matthew Perry Foundation on Friday.

The Emmy-nominated “Friends” star often spoke publicly about his struggles with drug and alcohol addiction. The foundation, which is now accepting donations, cited his desire to be remembered as someone who helped others with substance abuse even more than his sitcom stardom.

The foundation will be maintained by the National Philanthropic Trust. No further details on the organisation were immediately released.

Perry was declared dead at age 54 after paramedics found him unresponsive at his Los Angeles home on October 28. Authorities are investigating the cause.

He starred along with Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer for 10 seasons on NBC’s “Friends.”

File photo of Matthew Perry arriving at the premiere of “Ride” at The Arclight Hollywood Theater in Los Angeles. PHOTO: AP