Matthew Perry’s final moments exemplified his reliance on ketamine, with his assistant administering the drug three times the day he died. Before being found unresponsive in his hot tub on Oct. 28, 2023, Perry asked his longtime assistant Kenneth Iwamasa to administer another dose of ketamine, with court documents revealing the details of his final moments.
Perry, who passed away at the age of 54, received his first dose of ketamine at 8:30 a.m. on the day of his death. He then received two more doses throughout the day, showing a pattern of abuse of the drug. Perry had previously spoken about using ketamine to treat his depression, but in the weeks leading up to his death, he was clearly abusing it. Iwamasa, in a plea deal, admitted to administering ketamine to Perry for about a month before his death.
Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who is also facing charges in connection to Perry’s death, taught Iwamasa how to administer the drug after meeting the actor at the end of September 2023. Perry, who had been regularly treated with ketamine by a doctor, instructed his assistant to continue purchasing the drug from Plasencia and another man charged in the case. Plasencia allegedly conspired with Dr. Mark Chavez to get more ketamine to Perry and make money from the actor.
Witnesses and evidence suggest that Perry’s relationship with ketamine was troubled in the days leading up to his death. Plasencia allegedly knew about Perry’s addiction issues, as he had observed the actor’s body reacting negatively to the drug and witness a spike in his blood pressure during a previous administration. Perry had paid the duo $55,000 in cash for ketamine in the weeks before his death, highlighting the extent of his substance abuse problem and dependence on the drug.
Perry had a long history of struggling with substance abuse, and he had openly discussed his use of ketamine in his memoir released in 2022. In the memoir, he described how the drug helped him disconnect from life but also had negative effects, likening it to being hit with a happy shovel. Despite his struggles, Perry expressed a desire to be remembered as someone who lived well, loved well, and helped others.
The circumstances surrounding Matthew Perry’s death shed light on his battle with addiction and the dangers of using substances to cope with mental health struggles. His reliance on ketamine, his abuse of the drug, and the actions of those who enabled his addiction all played a role in his tragic passing. Perry’s story serves as a reminder of the importance of seeking help for mental health issues and being cautious about using substances as a coping mechanism.
