04 November 2023 , 02:25
835
0
Friends and family gathered around Matthew Perry's casket today in LA, in a heartfelt scene of tears and farewells.
Perry sadly died last Saturday at the age of 54. Matthew Perry's Friends co-stars have gathered at a cemetery in Los Angeles to attend what is presumed to be the late actor's funeral.
Prior to gathering around the coffin, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, and Lisa Kudrow were pictured walking together at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles on Friday. Matt Le Blanc is also believed to have been in attendance.
Matthew's father, John Bennett Perry, and stepfather, Keith Morrison, were seen arriving at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, before gathering along with everyone else at Perry's final resting place.
READ MORE: Matthew Perry funeral: Family and Friends co-stars gather 6 days after star's death
Hear'Say star quit booze after drunken Friends impressions - to Matthew Perry
The cast came to pay their respects (SPLASH)The cemetery is opposite Warner Bros Studios, where the show Friends was filmed for ten years. The 54-year-old Friends actor sadly died on Saturday as he was found unresponsive in the hot tub of his Los Angeles home.
Just 24 hours before his death, Matthew had been pictured enjoying a date with 25-year-old model Athenna Crosby. The pair seemed very happy as they spent time at the Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles, California.
Celebs gather around Matthew Perry's coffin at his funeral service (Shutterstock / SplashNews.com)Athenna has now spoken out about their time together and revealed Matthew "refused to touch the drink menu" as he worked hard to stay sober. She said the Hollywood star had been very proud of how far he had come.
"I don't think he had any desire to get back into drugs and alcohol. I think he was so proud to finally be over that hump because he openly struggled with addiction for decades, and he was in and out of rehab as recently as the last couple of years," she said in a new interview.
The preliminary test ruled out an overdose and the results will likely take anywhere from 4-6 months to be returned and will allow the coroner to confirm the cause of death.
Matthew had been very open with his addiction struggles and wrote about his experiences in his memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing. After overcoming his struggles, Matthew dedicated his time to trying to help others and he set up the Perry House, which was a space that helped recovering addicts ease back in to their normal lives.
Athenna said Matthew told her he had "gotten really into fitness" and found joy in playing pickleball with his friends. Speaking about their meal together, she told the Daily Mail: "He was a little shy to order a Diet Coke because that's caffeine, and it's one more thing that some people might struggle with. But then eventually, he said, 'I'm actually doing really good, and this is just a little treat to myself.'"