(NewsNation) — “Friends” star Matt LeBlanc posted a heartfelt tribute on social media in honor of his late co-star Matthew Perry, who died late last month.
“Matthew, it is with a heavy heart I say goodbye. The times we had together are honestly among the favorite times of my life. It was an honor to share the stage with you and to call you my friend. I will always smile when I think of you and I’ll never forget you. Never,” LeBlanc wrote in the Instagram post.
Along with the caption, LeBlanc posted five photos of him and Perry on the set of “Friends.” The two starred as best friends and roommates Joey Tribbiani (LeBlanc) and Chandler Bing (Perry) on the show.
Perry, 54, was found dead in a hot tub at his Pacific Palisades residence on Oct. 28.
Emergency responders got to his home at 4:07 p.m. Saturday. The person who made the 911 call told responders they got back to the house and saw Perry completely underwater in the hot tub, the Los Angeles Fire Department said.
“Firefighters pulled the victim out of the Jacuzzi and did a quick medical assessment to find he was deceased,” the LAFD said in a statement.
Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer and LeBlanc previously told NewsNation in a statement: “We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family. There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss.”
LeBlanc is the first of Perry’s “Friends” co-stars to post an individual tribute.
“Spread your wings and fly brother you’re finally free. Much love,” LeBlanc said.
Perry was open about his long and public struggle with addiction, writing at the beginning of his 2022 million-selling memoir: “Hi, my name is Matthew, although you may know me by another name. My friends call me Matty. And I should be dead.”
Less than a week after his death, a foundation was established in Perry’s name to help those dealing with addiction.
“In the spirit of Matthew Perry’s enduring commitment to helping others struggling with the disease of addiction, we embark on a journey to honor his legacy by establishing the Matthew Perry Foundation, guided by his own words and experiences, and driven by his passion for making a difference in as many lives as possible,” said an inaugural statement establishing the Matthew Perry Foundation.
LeBlanc concluded his written tribute in a light-hearted manner, saying, “And I guess you’re keeping the 20 bucks you owe me.”