Matthew Perry fans honor actor outside NYC 'Friends' apartment with growing memorial
The one where hundreds gathered outside the "Friends" apartment building to say goodbye to Chandler Bing, played by the beloved late actor Matthew Perry.
Despite the rainy and gloomy weather, the street around the New York City's West Village building were covered in bouquets of flowers with fans paying their respects to Perry on Sunday.
Perry was found dead Saturday in a jacuzzi at his Los Angeles home from an apparent drowning. He was 54.
The beloved actor rose to fame for his portrayal of the comedic Chandler Bing on "Friends," so it was only right that fans gathered outside the iconic building used to shoot the outside of the show's building.
"It feels strange to feel sad about it, but it really has been a sad morning," 29-year-old Catherine Schmitt told Variety. "It's been my comfort show since I can remember. I can't imagine watching it now without feeling deep sadness."
The show ran from 1994 to 2004 and still has a huge fan base to this day. Perry became synonymous with his character Chandler Bing, the witty and sarcastic member of the group.
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Perry's transparency on addiction brought comfort to fans
Fans visited from across the country to pay their respects to the actor, who previously opened up about his struggle with sobriety.
"He deserves to be honored," Hope Pace, one attendee told Variety. "I know he suffered a lot."
Perry shared his struggles with alcohol and opioid addiction in his 2022 memoir, "Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing."
Matthew Perryonce said his death would 'shock' but not 'surprise' people. That's how many are feeling.
"There is light in the darkness," Perry wrote in the prologue. "You just have to look hard enough to find it."
Eve Goldberg, who lost her 23-year-old son to an accidental drug overdose 10 years ago, told CBS News she found comfort in Perry's memoir.
"When he spoke about it, it just made everybody feel like we're not alone," she said.
The memoir chronicled health issues Perry experienced due to his addiction including a near fatal incident when he was 49 years old.
"A lot of people in our group were actually crying. Everyone was too emotional and we actually felt the goosebumps," Ashwin Saxene, who was visiting from Florida told CBS News.
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