Matthew Perry's Final Instagram Post Before His Death Is Haunting Now
"Friends" fans seeking answers about Matthew Perry's tragic death at age 54 turned to the actor's Instagram page for clues about what his final days were like, and what they discovered was that his last post was both ominous and sad.
After Perry died at his Los Angeles home on the morning of October 28, sources told TMZ that he drowned in his jacuzzi and was discovered by his assistant. It's unclear if his assistant called for help, but whoever spoke to an emergency medical dispatcher suspected that the actor had suffered cardiac arrest. While Perry was open about his struggles with addiction, no drugs were discovered on the premises.
In his memoir "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing," Perry recalls how a brush with death inspired him to get sober and stay that way. He'd been taking so many opioids that it caused his bowel to rupture, resulting in a two-week coma and a lengthy hospital stay. "The doctors told my family that I had a 2 percent chance to live," he writes (via People). The fear of having to wear a colostomy bag helped him kick his opioid habit, and after his miraculous recovery, he seemed to find a new lease on life. "What I'm most surprised with is my resilience. The way that I can bounce back from all of this torture and awfulness," Perry marveled to People. He appeared content and relaxed in his final Instagram photo, although his caption did have some of his followers scratching their heads.
Matthew Perry was photographed in a hot tub
Five days before his tragic death, Matthew Perry posted a photo on Instagram of himself relaxing in an outdoor hot tub. He had headphones on, so it's safe to assume he was enjoying some tunes during his relaxing soak. The nighttime picture was snapped as the moon peeked out from behind dark clouds. This Gotham-like imagery might be what made Perry imagine himself as an alternate version of the Dark Knight taking advantage of his downtime. "Oh, so warm water swirling around makes you feel good? I'm Mattman," he wrote.
Messages from grieving fans began filling the comments section of the post after the news of Perry's death broke. Some Instagrammers noted that what was once a peaceful pic now has an air of foreboding, given the circumstances surrounding his death. "It's unsettling that his last post was in his jacuzzi," one person wrote. "Anyone else think it's eerie that his last post is a pic of where and how he died?" another comment read. It hasn't been confirmed that the hot tub pictured is actually the one Perry reportedly drowned in, but some fans found peace in imagining it as such. "I don't think you could have picked a better place to go than your hot tub overlooking the city that happens to be your last post," one fan opined. Another post that hit his devasted fans right in the feels was a rare photo of Perry posing with his father that was taken earlier in the month.
What was up with all of those Mattman references?
Matthew Perry playfully refers to himself as "Mattman" in a few of his final Instagram posts, including a photograph of a jack-o'-lantern with a bat carving. "Sleep well everybody, I've got the city tonight — Mattman," he captioned a picture of red lights shaped like the Batman symbol. The Batman references left many of his followers befuddled. "Are all these posts a puzzle, Mattman?" asked one fan.
Perry was a big-time Batman fan. During a 2017 appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!," he chatted about a room in his former residence filled with Batman memorabilia, including a large statue of the superhero. Jimmy Kimmel then presented his guest with a plaque featuring Perry's likeness wearing the Caped Crusader's mask. A plate was engraved with the "Mattman" moniker.
In a 2022 interview, Perry told GQ that he purchased a Century City penthouse because it reminded him of the one Bruce Wayne resides in the movie "The Dark Knight." When he moved to a new property in the Hollywood Hills, he got to work building another "Matt cave" for his memorabilia collection. Perry also told GQ that a ballcap with the Batman logo was among his favorite clothing items. "I like to watch the movie 'Batman' while wearing this — but just this," he quipped. Perry also said of the Gotham Guardian, "He's kind of loner. He's rich. He solves crime. I also solve crime, so I can relate to Batman very much."