The death of beloved Friends star Matthew Perry stunned fans across the world.
The actor, who played the loveable and sarcastic Chandler Bing in the hit US comedy, of which the final episode aired 20 years ago today, died aged 54 on October 28 last year. He was found dead in the hot tub at his Los Angeles home, with the cause ruled as an accident from the effects of ketamine.
Matthew had been open about his struggles with drug and alcohol addiction over the years and how it took hold of his life. However, he had claimed he was clean in the 18 months before his death.
His former girlfriend, Kayti Edwards, tragically said the actor hoped to start a family one day, and believes he felt this was missing from his life. Upon his death, Matthew was believed to have been single, and not in a relationship the public was made aware of.
When he did become engaged during lockdown, Kayti remembered being surprised that he had settled down, but says he had "always craved a family". "Having children was a big part of his dream," she told the Mirror.
"He felt like he was getting older, so it did not surprise me that he was getting married so quickly. He felt this clock was ticking," Kayti added. Matthew's last known relationship before his passing was with Molly Hurwitz.
The pair were engaged after Matthew proposed to her while in rehab. At the time, he was "high on 1800 milligrams of hydrocodone." Writing in his memoir, he explained: "I had even asked for her family's blessing. Then I'd proposed, high as a kite. And on one knee.
"And she knew it, too. And she said yes." The star then admitted: "I bought her a ring because I was desperate that she would leave me. I didn't want to be this injured and alone during Covid."
But soon after he and Molly were engaged and living together with her dogs, their relationship ended in 2021. Before Molly, Matthew had been in a handful of other high-profile relationships including with Gwyneth Paltrow, Cameron Diaz, and Rachel Dunn.
Kayti - granddaughter of British film icon Julie Andrews - had previously dated him for several months after meeting through her grandfather Blake Edwards, the Hollywood director of the original Pink Panther movies. When they broke up, they remained friends, with Matthew even becoming pals with Kayti’s husband Walter, who was in recovery.
