Matthew Perry Was Sober Ahead Of His Death, Late Actor's Friend Claims

Matthew Perry, American-Canadian actor celebrated for his work on Friends, passed away unexpectedly at his LA home last week. He was found unresponsive in his hot tub at the age of 54 after an apparent drowning. The beloved actor's untimely death sparked quite a bit of speculation, with rumors floating around that he could have been under the influence ahead of the incident. He'd been open about struggling with substance abuse in the past, later detailing his journey to recovery in his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing.

Now, a friend of Perry's who had seen him just one day before his passing has spoken out in his defense, shutting down rumors that he had relapsed. During a recent interview with Fox News Digital, Athenna Crosby recounted her final moments with the Friends star, claiming that he was “100 percent sober when he passed.”

Athenna Crosby Recounts Final Moments With Matthew Perry

“I mean, I can’t know what exactly he was thinking or feeling. I can only share my experience. And, of course, he was his own person that maybe he had said, done or thought of things the day that he passed that I might never come to know," she explained. “I am now recalling all of the details about it just because the situation has been so tragic. And I’ve been kind of thinking like, ‘OK, was there anything that I, I guess, should have noticed or was there anything that stuck out to me?’ And honestly, no, there wasn’t,” she described. “He was so normal. He ordered a cheeseburger and had a Diet Coke and really just a normal day like any other day.”

In a subsequent Instagram post, Crosby revealed that she didn't want to speak out initially, but chose to once it came out that they had grabbed lunch together right before the incident. “Know that man was on a comeback and truly deserved more time on this earth,” she added. “Our entertainment industry has truly lost a legend. RIP.” What do you think of Matthew Perry's friend coming to his defense amid rumors that he relapsed ahead of his death? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.

[Via]