The world is still in shock over the passing of the former “Friends” star Matthew Perry after he was found dead in his hot tub in an apparent drowning on Saturday at the age of 54. Now, a clip has resurfaced from just last year in which Perry opened up about his “very close relationship” with God.
“I believe there is a higher power.I have a very close relationship with Him that’s helped me a lot.”
– Matthew Perry to atheist Bill Maher pic.twitter.com/6SctV0G2AV— Sachin Jose (@Sachinettiyil) October 30, 2023
Perry’s Strong Christian Faith
“I believe there is a higher power. I believe I have a very close relationship with him that’s helped me a lot,” Perry told the “Real Time” host Bill Maher in 2022 while promoting his memoir “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.”
Perry went on to talk about a “horrible accident” that he’d had nearly a decade before that resulted in doctors having to perform a “Hail Mary” procedure to save his life.
“I had a horrible accident about seven years ago,” he recounted. “I was given a two percent chance to survive the night. They didn’t tell me that, obviously, because I wasn’t really there, but they told my family, and I was put on a thing called an ECMO machine.”
“They call that a ‘Hail Mary.’ That’s what they do when they put you on an ECMO machine,” Perry added. “Five people were on ECMO that night, and the other four died, and I somehow made it.”
When told that God must be a “fan” of his, Perry replied, “Yeah, I mean, I know your feeling about that. I know that once you referred to it as a ‘force.’ And I believe that.”
Check out this full interview in the video below.
Perry’s Encounter With God
In another 2022 interview, Perry credited God with helping him to get cast on “Friends,” which he starred in from 1994 until 2004. He told the CBC that he remembered praying, “Please, God, make me famous. You can do anything you want to me; just make me famous.”
“Three weeks later, I got ‘Friends,’” Perry continued. “And God did not forget about the second part.”
In his memoir, Perry opened up about his decades-long battle with addiction to drugs and alcohol that resulted in 14 stints in rehab, 15 stomach surgeries and dozens of attempts at detox, according to The Christian Post. He recalled that at his lowest point, he turned to God for help.
“God, please help me, show me that you are here,” Perry prayed.
After this prayer, Perry had an encounter with God that caused him to burst into tears.
“I wasn’t crying because I was sad — I was crying because for the first time in my life, I felt OK,” he explained. “I felt safe, taken care of. He saved me that day, and for all days, no matter what.”
It was this encounter that changed everything for Perry and led to him finally getting sober once and for all.
“I had been in the presence of God. I was certain of it,” he stated.
In an exclusive interview, ‘Friends’ creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane remember Matthew Perry.
They speak to @hodakotb about the loss of the actor, the last conversations they had with him and the impact he made in the world. pic.twitter.com/96FcJkbghE
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) November 1, 2023
Perry Passes Away
Perry was tragically found dead in his hot tub at his home in California on Saturday in an apparent drowning.
“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother,” Perry’s family told People Magazine. “Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend.”
“You all meant so much to him and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love,” they added.
Find out more about Perry’s death in the video below.
While it’s devastating that Perry has passed away, we’re glad to see that he had such a strong relationship with God, particularly in the final years of his life. Please join us in saying a prayer for Perry’s family and friends during this difficult time.
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