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News that Matthew Perry passed away on October 28 at the age of 54 left millions around the world heartbroken. While fans who never met the actor felt a loss, it was family, friends, and his network, that felt the pain on a deeper level. One of those closest to him was his stepdad, Keith Morrison. While Perry’s family released a statement after his death the Dateline host remained quiet with his grieving until this week.
© GETTYOn Monday, the 76-year-old shared a tweet encouraging people to donate to the Matthew Perry Foundation.” This is not the sort of thing I commonly do, this pitch. But this year is different,” he wrote. “And tomorrow is Giving Tuesday. Do what you can; he would have been grateful.”
The foundation’s mission is described as “the realization of Matthew’s enduring commitment to helping others struggling with the disease of addiction.” “It will honor his legacy and be guided by his own words and experiences and driven by his passion for making a difference in as many lives as possible,” the website reads.
Morrison married Perry’s mother, Suzanne Marie Langford, in 1981 and has reportedly known him since he was ten years old. The couple was photographed at his house after news broke that he passed away.
There were many people shocked to find out that Morrison was his stepdad. “Had no idea he was his stepdad,” one user wrote on Instagram. “Wait, what?!? I love Keith Morrison! I had no clue that was his stepdad,” said another.
Perry’s biological father, John Bennett Perry, and Langford were only married for two years before separating. The late actor grew up in Ottawa, Canada, with his mom before moving to California to live with John as a teenager. The 17 Again star shared a rare photo with his father on Instagram two weeks before he passed away. “Here is me, and my father John, both holding a beverage, he captioned the photo.”
Perry told Diane Sawyer on ABC News in October 2022 that his parents were both by his side when he was hospitalized in 2018 after his colon burst due to opioid use. “They were both standing at the edge of my bed,” he told Sawyer. “I was like, ‘Whoa, I must be really sick for this to be happening.’”
Morrison was also there to support him. “We were able to be with him a lot of the time through that, which was I think good for everybody,” he told People in 2020. He’s always talked highly about his stepson. “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 said. “He’s an intense, talented, focused character. He’s very bright. That was always the case as he was growing up.”
The Friends star is also survived by five siblings—Caitlin Morrison, Emily Morrison, Will Morrison, Madeline Morrison, and Maria Perry.
