On Oct. 28, 2023, Matthew Perry tragically passed away after a long battle with substance abuse. And now, two years later, his sister is speaking out about her work to help others fight addiction.
The actor’s sister, Caitlin Morrison, spoke with Variety about her work “channeling grief into purpose” by founding the Matthew Perry House, with the first one being built in Ottawa.
“Iâve had this whole career in nonprofits and charities,â she told the outlet. âIt was a very natural thing for my mind to do after he died â to try to work what I knew how to do into bringing some kind of meaning and purpose to this horrible, horrible thing that shouldnât have happened.â
And with that, she had learned to use the day of his passing to celebrate her brother’s legacy.
Itâs just always going to be a day with a little bit of darkness on it,â she explained. âBut maybe thatâs wrong â because on his birthday this year, I realized I was actually more OK that day than usual. Those days like October 28th donât actually make it harder. Theyâre the days where itâs allowed to be really hard. Theyâre permission to cry publicly in an embarrassing way.â
She also added some levity to the sadness, joking that he “ruined Halloween for me.”
What Is The Matthew Perry House
The Matthew Perry House in the actor’s hometown of Ottowa, is “a supportive recovery community” that will “provide housing, on-site care, and a comprehensive range of support services for over 160 individuals at a time. Designed to celebrate all paths to long-term recovery, Matthew Perry House Ottawa will serve as a beacon of hope for those on their recovery journey,” according to the organization’s website.
And Perry’s sister detailed that the reason for creating this space is that her research revealed that 85% of people relapse within a year of treatment for substance abuse. However, when given three years of treatment, 85% will maintain their recovery.
“Nobody is ever asked to walk out the door until they feel they have everything they need,â Morrison told Variety. âThe average stay will be about three years.”
Caitlin Morrison Asks For Help From The Hollywood Community
Considering the impact her brother made during his amazing career, Morrison made a plea to others who might be interested in getting involved.
âTo any Hollywood people who might be listening: if this is an area of interest for you, the Matthew Perry House is the place to support,” she asked in her interview with Variety. “I feel like I can ethically say that because I donât actually get paid.â
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