
Matthew Perry’s younger sister has broken her silence nearly a year after the actor’s tragic death. Caitlin Morrison and Matthew’s stepfather, Keith Morrison, sat down in an interview with Hello! Canada to talk about the work they’ve been doing in Perry’s memory. The Friends actor was found dead in his hot tub on October 28, 2023. He was 54. His cause of death was later revealed to be from ketamine in his system, and five people were charged in relation to his death.
More from CafeMom: 10 Heartbreaking Facts About the Late Matthew Perry’s Struggle With Addiction
His family and friends started a foundation in his memory.
Caitlin is the executive director of the Matthew Perry Foundation of Canada, which was founded by his family and friends of the actor. “The work that I’m doing now is very selfish because it kind of feels like I’m sitting right next to Matthew, working with him every day on something that was important to him,” she told the magazine. “I have this treasure of getting to keep him very, very close to my life all the time, which is wonderful.”
Caitlin spoke about Matthew's personality.
“He had this ability to fill up a room with light,” Caitlin shared. “When people were in a room with [Matthew], there was this magnetic energy. Everybody just had a smile on their face and they clung to everything that he said.”
His stepdad wants to carry on his legacy.
Speaking to the magazine, Keith shared how he wants to carry on his late stepson’s legacy. “He would like to be remembered for doing something to help people suffering from addiction,” he said. “When [Matthew] suddenly died, it was incredibly shocking… anybody who has lost a child will tell you that, even if you are in some way prepared for the possibility, it’s shattering. What we have decided to do is hang on to that determination and try to do something useful.”
Matthew's mom, Suzanne Perry Morrison, is also on the foundation's board.
“She is committed to the organization’s work and vision, and deeply committed to giving families and mothers a safe place where they can talk about the emotional realities of loving someone living in addiction without shame or fear,” the website reads.
She recalled getting a sort of 'premonition' before he died.
In an interview with Savannah Guthrie from Today, Suzanne opened up about the moments she shared with her son before his death. “He went through a period, interestingly enough, just before he died when he was showing me one of his new houses,” she said.
“He came up to me and he said, ‘I love you so much, and I’m so happy to be with you now. And I’m so…’ It was almost as though it was a premonition or something. I didn’t think about it at the time, but I thought, ‘How long has it been since we’ve had a conversation like that?’ It’s been years.”
Recalling her final days with her son, she said, “there was an inevitability to what was going to happen next to him, and he felt it very strongly. But he said, ‘I’m not frightened anymore.’ And it worried me.”