Who is Jon Paul Crimi? Matthew Perry's breathwork coach grateful for his 'gifts of friendship' in touching tribute
BEND, OREGON: Jon Paul Crimi, long-time friend and former trainer of the 'Friends' star Matthew Perry, paid his tributes to the late actor after his untimely death on October 28.
Crimi, a breathwork facilitator and teacher trainer, posted a three-and-a-half-minute long video talking about the impact of the friendship he had with the actor and how Perry channeled him to his current profession.
"Matthew made so many people laugh. But for Me, it wasn't the comedy. It was the gifts of his friendship and the things that he gave to me in that friendship," he said in the video.
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Perry, 54, who rose to fame with 'Friends' was found dead in a hot tub in his Los Angeles home, reported Los Angeles Times.
Perry's sarcastic character, Chandler Bing, in the hit sitcom, was warmly received by the audience. 'Friends,' which aired on NBC from 1994 to 2004, has successfully attracted an audience even two decades after the show's ending.
Who is Jon Paul Crimi?
Crimi, originally from Boston, moved to Los Angeles in his early 20s. After attending a breathwork class, a "conscious and controlled breathing practice that has the power to improve the physical, mental, and emotional well-being", he developed his own unique style of practice.
According to his website, Crimi is "the most sought-after celebrity trainer and sober coach in the country."
Currently residing in Oregon with his wife and children, Crimi travels to LA every month "to teach sold-out breathwork classes and workshops, as well as lead his in-demand Breathwork Teacher Trainings," says the website.
A long-time friend of Perry, he has appeared in ABC's 'Good Morning America' and was also featured in The Huffington Post and The Hollywood Reporter.
Matthew Perry came to one of Jon Paul Crimi's first classes
The trainer fondly remembered how Perry forced him to attend a breathwork session, which led him to teach it.
The late actor attended one of his first classes and encouraged him, saying, "This is your gift. This is what you're supposed to do."
Crimi added how Perry taught him to play ping pong when he became the late actor's breathwork coach.
Crimi told his followers the importance of letting others know why we are grateful to them. He ended the video by saying he will dedicate the day's classes to Perry.
"I'll be doing a class today. I'll dedicate it to Matthew, and I'll probably dedicate next week's class to Matthew as well. And I'm just immensely grateful for what he brought into my life."