Jennifer Aniston Wants Matthew Perry's Progress In His Final Days To Be Remembered

Matthew Perry's death at the age of 54 had an impact on many people around the world, if the outpouring of grief on social media is any indication. But, few were impacted so deeply as those closest to him, including his fellow "Friends" cast members. Jennifer Aniston's Instagram tribute to Perry showed their enduring friendship, and in her first interview since his death, she explained more about what she hoped people would remember about her close friend in his last days. Aniston told Variety: "He was happy. He was healthy. He had quit smoking. He was getting in shape. [...] He was not in pain. He wasn't struggling."

In recent years, Perry had been open about his struggles with addiction, particularly in his memoir "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing." With what he learned from his own personal problems, he wanted to use that to help others — it was a part of the vision that Perry had for his legacy before he died — and after getting sober in 2021, it sounds like he was continuing to work on bettering himself.

In a particularly heartbreaking admission about the timing of Perry's death, Aniston said, "I was literally texting with him that morning, funny Matty." We can't imagine how much of a shock it must have been for Aniston to have found out that he'd passed away since they'd been in touch that same day.

Jennifer Aniston didn't directly mention the addiction battle that Matthew Perry had faced for a long time, but it seems clear that she didn't think he'd relapsed, which some people have theorized.  "I want people to know he was really healthy, and getting healthy," Aniston reiterated as she spoke with Variety about what she hoped people remembered about Perry. "He was on a pursuit. He worked so hard. He really was dealt a tough one. I miss him dearly." It sounds like she knew that he'd move past a lot of it, and hopefully, that was something of a comfort for her — though comfort in the face of such unexpected loss could be impossible to find.

Aniston wasn't the only person who had noticed a change in Perry in what would turn out to be the last weeks of his life. "He was happy and chipper," Marta Kauffman, "Friends" co-creator, said of Perry on Today. "He didn't seem weighed down by anything. He was in a really good place, which is why this seems so unfair." Our hearts go out to Kaufmann and Aniston and all those dealing with the tragedy of loss.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).