Matthew Perry's funeral had 'tears and laughter' as friends pay final respects
Matthew Perry's funeral was filled with "tears and laughter", as family and friends gathered to say their final goodbyes.
The 54-year-old actor was laid to rest at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles on Friday afternoon, with his Friends co-stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer among those in attendance. The Friends actors were seen hugging and comforting each other at the service.
According to reports, Jennifer was one of the first people to arrive at the service and she's believed to have "kept to herself". As Matthew's loved ones gathered at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, which is opposite Warner Bros Studios where Friends filmed for 10 years, it's believed there wasn't a "dry eye in there".
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Matthew Perry's family and friends came together for his funeral (Shutterstock / SplashNews.com)According to the Daily Mail, the funeral service ended with a rendition of Peter Gabriel's song Don't Give Up. The song was a touching tribute to Matthew, with lyrics like: "No fight left or so it seems, I am a man whose dreams have all deserted, I've changed my face, I've changed my name, But no one wants you when you lose."
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The track also includes the lines: "Don't give up, 'Cause you have friends, Don't give up, You're not the only one, Don't give up, No reason to be ashamed. Don't give up, You still have us." These words could be seen as a nod to Matthew's struggle with drug and alcohol addiction, which he wrote about in his memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing.
A witness told the publication that "only close friends and family spoke" at the service. After the hour-long ceremony, Matthew was laid to rest in a dark wooden coffin in a private family gathering.
The actor was laid to rest at a private family gathering (SplashNews.com)Matthew's mum Suzanne Perry, dad John Bennett Perry and stepdad Keith Morrison were among those who came to say their goodbyes. Matthew died last weekend at the age of 54 after he was found unresponsive in his Los Angeles home. Reports said that no drugs were found at the scene and there was no sign of foul play. It was later revealed that initial tests didn't find any fentanyl or meth in Matthew's system when he died, and his cause of death is still unknown.
The actor's heartbroken family released a statement saying: "We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother. Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend. You all meant so much to him and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love."
His Friends co-stars also shared their grief in a joint statement: "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."
Matthew's Friends co-stars attended the funeral (SPLASH)
He sadly died at the age of 54 (Getty Images)They added: "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."
Friends' co-creators Marta Kauffman, David Crane, and director Kevin Bright expressed their shock and sadness: "We are shocked and deeply, deeply saddened by our beloved friend Matthew's passing," they said. "It still seems impossible. All we can say is that we feel blessed to have had him as part of our lives."
Before his funeral, it was revealed that a new foundation has been established in Matthew's name. It will carry on his dedication to "helping others struggling with the disease of addiction".
The organisation released a statement saying: "The Matthew Perry Foundation is the realization of Matthew's enduring commitment to helping others struggling with the disease of addiction. It will honor his legacy and be guided by his own words and experiences and driven by his passion for making a difference in as many lives as possible."
On its website, the Matthew Perry Foundation also shared a quote from the late star: "When I die, I don't want Friends to be the first thing that's mentioned I want to help others to be the first thing that's mentioned and I'm going to live the rest of my life proving that. Addiction is far too powerful for anyone to defeat alone. But together, one day at a time, we can beat it down."
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* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to [email protected]
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