Matthew
Perry died from “the acute effects of ketamine,” according to the toxicology
report from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office. The exact method
of intake is unknown. Contributing factors in the “Friends” actor’s death
included drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine
(used to treat opioid use disorder). The manner of death was ruled an accident.

 Perry
had been undergoing ketamine infusion therapy prior to his death, reportedly
for depression and anxiety. The toxicology report adds: “At the high levels of
ketamine found in his postmortem blood specimens, the main lethal effects would
be from both cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression.”

 Perry
died on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. Authorities arrived at his home in Los Angeles
around 4 p.m. and found him in a hot tub, according to the Los Angeles Times.
There were no signs of foul play or drugs at the scene. First responders were
called for a cardiac arrest, according to TMZ, which first reported the news.

 Perry
was best known for playing the hilarious, sarcastic Chandler Bing on “Friends”
in the ’90s and early 2000s. He starred in more than 200 episodes of the NBC
sitcom across 10 seasons.

 “We
are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just
cast mates. We are a family. There is so much to say, but right now we’re going
to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss,” Perry’s
“Friends” cast members Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt
LeBlanc and David Schwimmer wrote in a statement following the news of his
death. “In time we will say more, as and when we are able. For now, our
thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who
loved him around the world.”

 Perry’s
“Friends” co-stars would each go on to share personal tributes to the actor, with
Aniston exclusively telling Variety that she texted with him on the day of his
death.

 “He
was happy. He was healthy. He had quit smoking. He was getting in shape. He was
happy — that’s all I know,” Aniston said. “I was literally texting with him
that morning, funny Matty. He was not in pain. He wasn’t struggling. He was
happy.”

 Courteney
Cox personally remembered Perry by sharing to Instagram a blooper video of the
two actors from the “Friends” set.

 “I
am so grateful for every moment I had with you Matty and I miss you every day,”
Cox wrote. “When you work with someone as closely as I did with Matthew, there
are thousands of moments I wish I could share. For now here’s one of my
favorites.”

 “To
give a little backstory, Chandler and Monica were supposed to have a one night
fling in London,” she added. “But because of the audience’s reaction, it became
the beginning of their love story. In this scene, before we started rolling, he
whispered a funny line for me to say. He often did things like that. He was
funny and he was kind.”

 Matt
LeBlanc wrote on Instagram that “the times we had together are honestly among
the favorite times of my life,” adding: “It was an honor to share the stage
with you and to call you my friend. I will always smile when I think of you and
I’ll never forget you. Never. Spread your wings and fly brother you’re finally
free. Much love. And I guess you’re keeping the 20 bucks you owe me.”

 Perry
had been outspoken about his struggles with alcohol and drug addiction in his
career and published his memoir, “Friends, Lovers and the big Terrible Thing,”
in 2022. After the news of his death, the Matthew Perry Foundation was
established to help individuals 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 honor 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,” the foundation’s inaugural statement read.

 In
a tribute to the actor, Variety‘s chief correspondent Daniel D’Addario wrote:
“His memoir, published just last year, describes his emerging from a childhood
in which he abused alcohol into a TV set on which he was, often, in active
crisis. ‘Friends’ will always be alternately funny and heartwarming, to the
many millions on its wavelength. The struggles that Perry went through in order
to perform a character whose jockeying wit overlays clear sadness seem, now,
all the more apparent.”