The world mourned the sudden and tragic death of Friends star Matthew Perry on October 28, 2023. But for those closest to him, the loss was far more than a public heartbreak—it was personal, piercing, and deeply confusing.

Now, months after his passing, Jennifer Aniston is speaking out about the pain of discovering just how tormented her friend and longtime co-star had been in his final years.

Perry, beloved for his unforgettable portrayal of Chandler Bing, was found unresponsive in his hot tub at his Los Angeles home.

The final coroner’s report later confirmed that his cause of death was due to the acute effects of ketamine, with contributing factors including coronary artery disease, drowning, and the presence of buprenorphine, a drug used to treat opioid dependency.

The news sent shockwaves through Hollywood and devastated millions of fans worldwide—but for Aniston and the rest of the Friends cast, it was the revelation of Perry’s hidden suffering that proved most difficult to bear.

Pam Bondi Threatens Crockett Over Musk — Instantly Regrets It

“Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Join Forces

“He Got EVERYTHING Wrong!” – Why Michael Keaton Is the WORST Batman of All Time

Zendaya announced

What Happened To The 6 Players Drafted Before Stephen Curry – HTT

Joy Behar Disappears from The View Set for 72 Hours — Fans Demand Answers While Shocking Rumors Begin to Swirl!

“It’s painful for Jen and the other cast to know he was so tormented,” a source told OK! magazine. “It’s difficult to process.”

Though Perry had been open in recent years about his battles with addiction and mental health—most notably in his 2022 memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing—his vulnerability and honesty still couldn’t prepare his closest friends for the depth of his pain.

Aniston, in particular, was said to be “shocked” to discover the extent of his internal torment, much of which he kept hidden behind the familiar, sarcastic grin that defined Chandler Bing for a generation.

Shortly after his death, Aniston broke her silence in a heartfelt tribute on social media, writing:

“Saying goodbye to our Matty has been an insane wave of emotions that I’ve never experienced before… Grief allows you to feel the moments of joy and gratitude for having loved someone that deeply. And we loved him deeply.”

In those few words, she encapsulated the emotional paradox that so many of Perry’s loved ones faced—grieving a man who made them laugh harder than anyone else, even while hiding a depth of sorrow they could scarcely imagine.

But beyond the pain, Aniston’s message struck a powerful chord of unity and remembrance:

“He was such a part of our DNA. We were always the six of us. This was a chosen family that forever changed the course of who we were and what our path was going to be.”

These weren’t just former co-stars. They were, in her own words, “the family we chose.”

For Aniston, who has always valued the bonds of friendship, the Friends cast has remained a tight-knit group long after the cameras stopped rolling. They’ve supported one another through marriages, divorces, career highs, and personal lows. But Perry’s death brought with it a different kind of pain—a shared heartbreak that left the entire cast reeling.

In her tribute, Aniston also reflected on Perry’s driving force in life: his need to make others laugh.

“As he said himself, if he didn’t hear the laugh, he thought he was going to die. His life literally depended on it. And boy, did he succeed in doing just that. He made all of us laugh. And laugh hard.”

To honor Perry’s memory and his tireless advocacy for addiction recovery, Aniston encouraged fans to support The Matthew Perry Foundation, a charity created to help those struggling with substance abuse—something Perry had openly said he wanted to be his legacy, even more than his acting career.

“He would have been grateful for the love,” Aniston shared.

In the months since Perry’s passing, Aniston has continued to grieve privately, yet her public words have given fans and fellow grievers alike a window into the love, complexity, and compassion that marked her relationship with him.

She has reminded the world that behind the fame and the laughter, there are real people with real struggles—and that even the brightest stars can hide the darkest pain.

And through it all, her message remains steady and clear: they were more than a cast—they were a family. One whose love didn’t end when the final season wrapped, and whose grief now carries the memory of a man who lived to bring joy to others, even when he couldn’t always find it for himself.