Matthew Perry was already dead before help arrived: New details

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By the time help arrived there was nothing that could be done to help save Matthew Perry. The Friends star was already dead when his assistant found him in a hot tub at his home Saturday afternoon.

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“A bystander had brought the man’s head above the water and gotten him to the edge, then firefighters removed him from the water upon their arrival,” Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson Nicholas Prange told Page Six.

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“A rapid medical assessment, sadly, revealed the man was deceased prior to first responder arrival.”

Firefighters who arrived on the scene shortly after 4 p.m. local time didn’t try to perform CPR on Perry “because he was already beyond medical help,” Prange continued.

“We mourn with families and friends who lose a loved one unexpectedly,” public information officer Erik Scott added in a statement to Fox News.

Perry, 54, was found dead Saturday afternoon at his home in an apparent drowning, just a few hours after finishing a two-hour game of pickleball. After returning home, he sent his assistant to run a few errands for him and was left alone in his home.

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The actor died of an apparent drowning with police telling The Associated Press that officers had gone to an address on his block “for a death investigation of a male in his 50s.”

Sources told TMZ that he was discovered underwater in a hot tub by his assistant, and there were no illegal drugs found at the scene.

However, several prescription drugs were located in the house. “Authorities found anti-depressants, anti-anxiety drugs and a COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) drug in the house,” law enforcement sources told TMZ on Sunday.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed to Page Six that an autopsy has been completed, but Perry’s cause of death has been “deferred” pending more tests.

Emergency dispatch audio obtained by TMZ, hears of someone referring to a “rescue 23” and “drowning,” in response to the incident.

Just days before his death in what ended up being his final social media post, Perry shared a photo of himself in a jacuzzi at night. “Oh, so warm water swirling around makes you feel good? I’m Mattman,” he wrote in the caption.

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In a statement to PEOPLE released Sunday afternoon, Perry’s family said they were “heartbroken” by his sudden death.

“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother,” his family said. “Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend. You all meant so much to him and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love.”

Meanwhile, Perry’s Friends castmates said they are “utterly devastated” following the news of his death.

“We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew,” Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer said in a joint statement to PEOPLE on Monday night. “We were more than just castmates. We are a family.”

In their message, Perry’s co-stars said they “will say more” at a later date.

“There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss,” the statement continued. “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.”

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X: @markhdaniell

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