Matthew Perry's stepfather said the American actor "felt like he was winning" his long battle with addiction before he died.
"But you never beat her, and he was aware of that," Keith Morrison said of the actor who rose to fame with his role on the popular television series Friends (Friends).
Perry, who has spoken openly about his own alcohol and drug addiction and treatment, He died in October 2023.
His lifeless body was found in the jacuzzi in the house. He was 54 years old.
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The autopsy report states that the causes of death were the effects of two drugs - ketamine and buprenorphine, as well as coronary artery disease and strangulation.
The report also adds that Perry allegedly "was clean for 19 months".
However, it was also stated that he was in the middle of ketamine infusion therapy to treat depression and anxiety.
Morrison, who has been married to Perry's mother Susan since the actor was a boy, said he feels sadness every day.
"Grief lives with us all the time," he told NBC anchor Hody Kotb on her podcast Making Space.
"And there are some aspects that you can't help but think about, so it's not easy."
He also said that he believed that his stepson was mentally well before his death.
"He was happy, that's what he said. And we haven't heard anything like that from him for many years.
"It gives us some comfort, but he still didn't live to see the third act, and that's not fair," he said.
In the interview, Morrison, who is 76, spoke publicly for the first time since Perry's death.
On the night the actor died, he was photographed arriving with Susan at Perry's home.
Morrison spoke fondly of Perry's upbringing.
He was in the actor's life since he was 12 years old.
He said he had watched Matthew grow into a "very fiery person", noting that the echoes of his "larger-than-life presence" were visible even in everyday moments.
"He was reeling. He was funny. He was insightful," he said.
"Even if he didn't say a word, he was in the center of attention. Our personalities were different.
"He was loud and outgoing, funny and aggressive," Morrison said.
The actor's stepfather added that they got along well.
“I never tried to replace his father, but I was there for him, and he knew it. We were close".
According to Morrison, the struggle with "fierce addiction" under the watchful eye of the public was very difficult for Perry.
"He knew that there would be a certain point after which he would have to be treated.
"He accepted help when he needed it. But, as he also said, such situations were repeated."
Perry spoke candidly about addiction and the challenges of recovery, and became an advocate for the fight against alcohol and drug use.
After the death of the actor, his mother and stepfather they founded the Matthew Perry Foundation to help people struggling with addiction.
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