Mathew Perry’s family and friends were in tears when a poignant song, which the actor praised before his death, was played at his funeral on Friday.
Friends co-stars Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, and Matt LeBlanc were among those who bid farewell to the 54-year-old at a private funeral in Los Angeles.
As the funeral ended, Peter Gabriel’s song ‘Don’t Give Up’ was played aloud for mourners, with a source telling the Daily Mail there was “not a dry eye” left in the room by the time the song ended.
The song includes the lyrics: “No fight left or so it seems, I am a man whose dreams have all deserted, I’ve changed my face, I’ve changed my name, But no one wants you when you lose”.
Perry, who has been open about his struggles with addiction, had previously praised the song during a 2022 interview about his memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.
“It’s just beautiful. I don’t know if you’ve heard it as this was a long time ago but it’s beautiful and it’s saying don’t give up. I mean come, how am I not gonna like that?” he told interviewer Tom Power.
Perry added that he would write the words ‘don’t give up’ when signing his memoir.
“I always put ‘don’t give up’ because you shouldn’t give up.”
The actor was found dead from an apparent drowning at his home in Los Angeles on October 28.
Law enforcement sources told TMZ at the time that first responders were called to the scene following a report of an individual going into cardiac arrest.
The 911 call was reportedly placed by his assistant, who found him unresponsive in his hot tub.
Preliminary toxicology reports have reportedly also shown Perry did not have fentanyl or meth in his body at the time of his death. However, the full autopsy report results have been delayed pending additional testing.
Following his death, Aniston, Kudrow, Schwimmer, Cox and LeBlanc released a joint statement saying they were “devastated” over the loss.
“There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss,” they said.
“In time we will say more, as and when we are able. For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world.”
Perry’s loved ones have set up a charity in his name to help others “struggling with the disease of addiction”.
Originally published as The devastating song that left everyone in tears at Matthew Perry’s funeral
