In an emotional interview one year after the tragic passing of Friends star Matthew Perry, his mother, Suzanne Morrison, opened up about their final heartfelt moments together on the Today Show.
Reflecting on the memory of her son and the lingering pain of his absence, Suzanne shared touching insights into her last conversations with him, casting a bittersweet light on the man who brought laughter to millions but battled inner demons in silence.
Just days before his death on October 28, 2023, at the age of 54, Matthew spent precious time with his mother, inviting her to see one of his newly acquired properties in Los Angeles. As they walked through the rooms, they shared a deeply personal conversation that Suzanne recalls vividly.
“He came up to me and said, ‘I love you so much, and I’m so happy to be with you now,’” she shared. In that moment, Suzanne sensed a shift in her son, a rare moment of peace, as though he was reaching out to her in a way he hadn’t in years. “It was almost as though it was a premonition,” she revealed. “How long had it been since we had a conversation like that? It had been years.”
Matthew’s stepfather, Keith Morrison, echoed Suzanne’s sentiments, describing Matthew’s presence during those last few weeks as both peaceful and resigned.
“There was an inevitability to what was going to happen next to him, and he felt it very strongly,” he shared.
According to Keith, Matthew seemed unafraid of what lay ahead, a revelation that stirred both comfort and concern. “He said, ‘I’m not frightened anymore,’ and it worried me,” Suzanne admitted, visibly emotional.
While Suzanne and Keith believe that Matthew had made genuine strides towards sobriety, the path was not easy. When asked if Matthew had fully stayed on the wagon, Suzanne gently shook her head, casting a shadow of doubt over her son’s struggle.
Though Keith felt that Matthew appeared sober at the time of his death, the battle with addiction had left scars that even his family couldn’t fully understand. “I don’t even know if in his mind he had relapsed,” said Matthew’s sister, Madeline Morrison, acknowledging the complexity of her brother’s struggles.
The interview also highlighted the arrest of several individuals allegedly connected to the ketamine that contributed to Matthew’s death. Suzanne and Keith welcomed the news of the arrests, expressing relief and a fierce desire for justice.
“I was thrilled,” Suzanne stated with conviction, while Keith added a stern warning: “What I’m 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. You’re going down, baby.”
Matthew’s family, including his sisters Madeline and Caitlin Morrison, joined Suzanne and Keith in honoring his memory, speaking candidly about his personality and his enduring desire to be loved.
Caitlin, tearfully remembering her brother, shared, “When the people that he loved succeeded or they were scared, he would do anything for you. Really, all he ever wanted was to love and to be loved. He struggled so much to feel peace, and I think he got to a place where he did.” Her words captured the essence of a man who, despite his struggles, was deeply compassionate and loyal to those he cared about.
To carry on his legacy, Matthew’s family established the Matthew Perry Foundation shortly after his passing. The foundation, dedicated to supporting those battling addiction, stands as a beacon of hope, echoing the actor’s own advocacy and passion for helping others overcome their struggles. “It is important to us, as a family, to honor Matthew’s legacy,” the family shared in a statement to People.
“The potential that the Matthew Perry Foundation has to help those suffering from this disease is something we are proud to bring to the world.”
For Suzanne, the loss of her son has left an unfillable void, and her memories of Matthew are tinged with a lingering sadness. Reflecting on his life and the heartache of witnessing his struggles, she admitted, “I’m a very lucky woman, but there was one glitch, one problem that I couldn’t conquer.” Her voice, filled with emotion, urged others to release the burden of self-blame, saying, “You’ve got to stop blaming yourself because it tears you up.”
Keith, who stood by Suzanne through every moment, recalled the shattering moment they received the news of Matthew’s passing. “Somebody called Suzanne and just said, ‘Matthew’s dead,’” he recounted, describing the pain and disbelief that followed. Suzanne herself remembers the words that haunt every parent’s heart: “Matthew’s dead. Your son is dead.” In that instant, she was forced to confront a reality no parent should ever have to face.
Throughout the interview, Suzanne spoke openly about Matthew’s inner struggles and his enduring loneliness, a weight she knew he carried but couldn’t lift for him. “He was very lonely in his soul,” she shared.