MEAWW.COM / NEWS / CELEBRITY NEWS

Keith Morrison says Matthew Perry will be 'grateful' to people for supporting his addiction recovery charity

'This is not the sort of thing I commonly do, this pitch. But this year is different,' said Keith Morrison

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Keith Morrison broke his silence one month after the death of his stepson Matthew Perry.

The renowned 'Dateline' correspondent tweeted for the first time since the 'Friends' star's death at the age of 54 on October 28.

Keith Morrison urges people to support Matthew Perry's charity

In the heartfelt tweet marking Giving Tuesday, November 28, Morrison urged people to support the Matthew Perry Foundation, a charity founded for those "struggling with the disease of addiction."

"This is not the sort of thing I commonly do, this pitch. But this year is different,” Morrison wrote on Tuesday, November 28.

"Do what you can; he would have been grateful,” the 76-year-old added before he mentioned the link to the charity's website.

The 'Fools Rush In' actor had intended to establish the foundation himself before his sudden death, according to PageSix.

Matthew Perry wanted to be known as someone who helped others

Perry, who has openly addressed his struggle with substance abuse throughout his career, had a vision of creating a space to help other people overcome drug and alcohol addiction.

His initial effort in this direction was the launch of a sober living facility called Perry House which operated from 2013 to 2015, according to People.

In his 2022 memoir 'Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing', Perry wrote that he had spent $9 million in attempts to get sober. He nearly died following the consumption of 55 Vicodin tablets and a quart of vodka.

In November 2022, the late actor spoke on 'Q with Tom Power' about how he wished to be remembered after his death.

"When I die, I don’t want ‘Friends’ to be the first thing that’s mentioned — I want helping others to be the first thing that’s mentioned. And I’m going to live the rest of my life proving that," he said at the time.

He further added, "Addiction is far too powerful for anyone to defeat alone. But together, one day at a time, we can beat it down," a quote that is now featured on the Matthew Perry Foundation website's homepage.

Matthew Perry's family is left 'heartbroken' after his death

The beloved sitcom star died in an apparent drowning after he was found unconscious in a standalone jacuzzi in his Los Angeles home. At the time of his death, Perry's family stated they were "heartbroken" over his "tragic loss."

“Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend," read their joint statement to People, adding "You all meant so much to him and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love."