Matthew Perry’s mother speaks out for the first time since his tragic death – NBC Chicago

Matthew Perry’s mother, Suzanne Morrison, is speaking out nearly a year after the ‘Friends’ star’s death.

In an intimate interview with TODAY’s Savannah Guthrie, Morrison recounted the tender moments she had with her son before his death.

“He went through a period, quite interesting, just before he died, when he was showing me one of his new houses,” she said. “He came up to me and he was like, ‘I love you so much and I’m so happy to be with you now. And I’m so…’ It was almost like it was a premonition or something. I didn’t think about it at the time, but I thought, “How long has it been since we had a conversation like that?” It’s been years.

Perry was the only child of Morrison and her ex-husband John Bennett Perry. After their divorce, Morrison married Keith Morrison, a correspondent for “Dateline,” and they had four children together. John Bennett Perry also remarried and had a child with his second wife.

Reflecting on her final days with the actor, Suzanne Morrison said “there was an inevitability to what was going to happen next to him, and he felt it very strongly.”

“But he said, ‘I’m not afraid anymore,'” she continued. “And that worried me.”

Perry died on October 28, 2023, at age 54, after being found in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home. According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office, the actor died from the acute effects of ketamine. The autopsy report, obtained by NBC News in December 2023, stated that ketamine likely caused him to lose consciousness and drown, and that his existing coronary artery disease exacerbated the effects of ketamine on his heart.

Five people have been charged with various offenses contributing to the ketamine death of Matthew Perry. Although Matthew’s personal assistant has already pleaded guilty to a relatively minor federal charge after administering the final lethal dose, could the state seek an even harsher penalty?

Ketamine is a “dissociative anesthetic that has hallucinogenic effects,” according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. Ketamine can also be used as a treatment for mental illnesses, such as depression and anxiety.

Perry’s autopsy report indicated that his last known treatment was a week and a half before his death. Over the years, the actor has spoken about his drug and alcohol abuse and his struggle with depression.

The autopsy report said Perry was “apparently 19 months clean” before he died. It was not clear whether the actor had relapsed before his death.

In August of this year, Los Angeles prosecutors said Perry used ketamine without supervision and became addicted to it. Five people – including his personal assistant, two doctors and a suspected drug dealer – have been charged in connection with his death. Authorities said the five individuals, knowing of Perry’s addiction, took advantage of his vulnerable condition to profit.

“They knew what they were doing was wrong. They knew that what they were doing posed great danger to Mr. Perry,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said at a news conference, according to NBC News. “But they did it anyway. Ultimately, these defendants were more interested in taking advantage of Mr. Perry than caring for his well-being.

After the charges, Perry’s family said in a statement that while they “were and still are heartbroken” by the actor’s death, “it helped to know that law enforcement took his case very seriously. We wait impatiently for justice to take its course.

This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY: