Jennifer Aniston Shocked to Know 'Friends' Costar Matthew Perry Was 'So Tormented' Before Tragic Death: 'Difficult to Process'
Jennifer Aniston has had a difficult time coming to terms with Matthew Perry's unexpected passing.
The Friends star was found unconscious in his hot tub outside of his Los Angeles home on Saturday, October 28, and he was unable to be revived. Weeks after his death, a medical examiner's report confirmed his cause of death was due to the acute effects of ketamine, while drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine were listed as contributing factors to his tragic passing.
The year before, Perry had opened up on his struggles with his mental health and addictions in his tell-all memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.
"It’s painful for Jen and the other cast to know he was so tormented," a source spilled to a news outlet. "It’s difficult to process."
As OK! previously reported, Aniston revealed that saying goodbye to Perry sparked "an insane wave of emotions that I’ve never experienced before," in a heartfelt social media message.
"We all experience loss at some point in our lives. Loss of life or loss of love," she continued at the time. "Being able to really SIT in this grief allows you to feel the moments of joy and gratitude for having loved someone that deep. And we loved him deeply."
- Jennifer Aniston Honors Matthew Perry by Encouraging Fans to Donate to His Foundation: 'He Would Have Been Grateful for the Love'
- Matthew Perry Claimed Taking Ketamine Felt Like 'Dying' Despite Star Having Drug in His System at Time of Death
- Matthew Perry Death Details: EMTs Believed They Were Responding to a 'Water Rescue' Before Finding Star 'Unresponsive'
"He was such a part of our DNA," she added. "We were always the 6 of us. This was a chosen family that forever changed the course of who we were and what our path was going to be."
"For Matty, he KNEW he loved to make people laugh. As he said himself, if he didn't hear the 'laugh' he thought he was going to die," she said. "His life literally depended on it. And boy did he succeed in doing just that. He made all of us laugh. And laugh hard."
In a separate post, Aniston encouraged fans to support The Matthew Perry Foundation with donations in honor of Giving Tuesday.
The Just Go With It actress shared that the charity works "to help those suffering with addiction," noting that Perry "would have been grateful for the love."
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The source spoke with Star magazine about Aniston's reaction to Perry's death.