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Keith Morrison Made the Most Touching Gesture in Memory of Stepson Matthew Perry
The Dateline correspondent made a statement for Giving Tuesday about the late Friends star.
Matthew Perry's stepfather, NBC Dateline Correspondent Keith Morrison, spoke out via social media regarding Perry's death in lieu of 2023's Giving Tuesday.
“This is not the sort of thing I commonly do, this pitch. But this year is different. And tomorrow is Giving Tuesday. Do what you can; he would have been grateful,” he wrote on his X account (formerly known as Twitter) on November 27.
Morrison then linked to The Matthew Perry Foundation, an organization dedicated to helping those facing addiction.
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Morrison also backed The Matthew Perry Foundation in a November 28 statement to ET. “It is important to us as a family to honor Matthew’s legacy. The potential that the Matthew Perry Foundation has to help those suffering with this disease is something we are proud to bring to the world,” he said.
Perry's mother is journalist Suzanne Morrison, and his father is John Bennett Perry. Perry's parents split shortly after Perry was born, and his mother went on to marry Morrison.
Perry and Morrison had a close relationship, as Morrison raved about Perry's personality in a 2020 interview with People.
"He's one of those people who always is the center of the room for a reason and it was so as a kid," Morrison told the outlet. "He's an intense, talented, focused character. He's very bright. That was always the case as he was growing up."
Perry died on October 28 of an apparent drowning at the age of 54. Two days later, his family released an official statement to People regarding their sudden loss. "We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother. 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," the statement reads.
Matthew Perry reaches out to those struggling with addiction during his final interview
In a 2022 interview posted on Perry's official Instagram page, the Friends star gave advice to those battling substance use disorder.
“I want people to understand that they’re not alone, that there are other people feeling exactly the way they’re feeling, that their behavior is not insane, that they have a disease and it’s not their fault." he said.
RELATED: Matt LeBlanc Shares a Moving Tribute Post for Matthew Perry: "You're Finally Free"
He continued: “There’s a very famous line that people don’t change. I happen to know that people do change and I see that every day. I see people getting better. I see the lights in their eyes come on and they get through the terrible part of addiction and the detox and they’re able to live a normal life as long as they do a certain amount of work every day.”
