Matthew Perry’s pickleball coach says the “selfless” actor was “doing really well” and using the sport to stay sober

Matthew Perry’s pickleball coach has paid tribute to the late actor, who died just hours after playing the sport at his local Los Angeles club.

Perry, 54, spent Saturday morning at Riviera Country Club, a private members’ club in Pacific Palisades near his home.

He returned home and got into the hot tub. At 4:10 p.m., his assistant called 911 and said she found him lifeless in the water.

Perry’s trainer Matt Manasse, 35, said he played pickleball five times a week and found the sport helped him stay sober.

“He thought it was something that could help him recover, and he did a great job,” Manasseh said. talk to people.

‘He loved it. He came out five times a week and always talked about it. [He] got so much better, always made everyone laugh. “He was competitive, just a genuine, good guy who cared about everyone.”

Matt Manasse, a pickleball instructor, and his student Matthew Perry are pictured together in April. They met two years ago and Manasseh said Perry was selfless, funny and kind

Perry is pictured watching the US Open tennis on September 10 last year

Perry was a regular at the Riviera County Club (see picture).

The club was not far from Perry’s Pacific Palisades home

Manasse, who has taught Emma Watson, Matthew McConaughey and Wyclef Jean, said Perry is doing “really well.”

He wasn’t at the club on Saturday morning and last spoke to the actor a week ago.

The coach considered Perry a friend and the Friends actor invited him to his house to watch the Super Bowl. Perry supported Manasseh’s efforts to spread the sport’s popularity.

Perry told him, Manasseh said, “Whatever you need.” “Whatever you need, I’m here for you.”

“When I started playing pickleball [with him] it was just Matthew and [me]. And then we would bring in other people,” Manasseh said.

“Pickleball was his outlet.” He was really looking forward to it. He was a competitive guy, not in a bad way at all. He loved it. He wanted to come out. He wanted to win. He loved it. When he hit an incredible shot, he would talk about it for days.’

Manasseh is pictured with Emma Watson in November 2022

Manasseh with tennis star John McEnroe on October 14th

The pickleball coach is seen (left) with Matthew McConaughey and pickleball player Roscoe Bellamy (right).

Manasse said the game was therapeutic for Perry and that he used it as an outlet to maintain his sobriety.

“He was so busy with his rehab facility and trying to get people cleaned up,” Manasseh said.

“He would bring them over to teach them pickleball. “He was just always trying to help people.”

“That was exactly the guy he was.”

“We went to dinner together. I was at his house for the Super Bowl. He cared about other people. “He was a really good person.”

Manasseh said Perry was “selfless” and always looked out for others.

“He cared about everyone – the day was better when you saw him or when he called,” he said.

“He never missed an opportunity to make a funny joke to make you laugh.” Just a really great person. “Everyone should know that he had a heart of gold.”