Friends, family, and fans said their final goodbyes to actor Matthew Perry whose funeral held place this past weekend at Forest Memorial Park in Los Angeles
As expected, his co-stars from the iconic TV show Friends that helped Perry rise to stardom were there to pay their tributes to the person their considered family.
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Their jointed statement following Perry’s tragic passing said, “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… For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world.”
Perry died October 28, aged 54. He was found unresponsive in the hot tub in his LA home. The investigation regarding his passing is still ongoing but as per the Fire Department he died of drowning. No drugs were found at the scene but still, a toxicology reports was requested.
The actor struggled with addictions almost his entire life, but he couldn’t help himself despite his many attempts to get clean and sober. As per reports, he spent around $7 million throughout his life at rehab centers.
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Perry wasn’t married and didn’t have children, although he loved to be a father.
His funeral was an emotional affair, and the song chosen to close the ceremony didn’t leave a dry eye.
Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush’s rendition of “Don’t Give Up,” a tune Sir Elton John once credited with saving his life and helping him get sober, made the farewell even more poignant.
The touching songs lyrics include: “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”.
The ending of the song goes: “Don’t give up, you still have us … Don’t give up, ’cause somewhere there’s a place where we belong”. According to the Daily Mail there was “not a dry eye in there.”
Nowadays it’s easy to navigate around because of the number of apps and gadgets that facilitate our everyday life.
In the past, people needed to find ways of marking trails, especially when they were forced to go through thick forests.
Now if you wonder how people were able to determine the right direction without maps or GPS, here’s the answer.
Native Americans did this by bending trees. So how did they do it? By inserting a piece of the tree into a hole and allowing the tree to grow around it.
There are of course trees that have irregular shape as a result of Mother Nature. So how did the indigenous people know which trees are man made and which are bent by nature?
The ones Native Americans bent have a distinguished looks; a noticeable nose, or notch that sticks out at the end of the bend as shown in the photo below.
Image source: www.ejlanham.com
Other details that can help you determine which trees were modified by men are the scars from where the straps were placed when the trees were young.
Most of these trees are over 150 and even 200 years old.
As stated in the national American Forests website:
“Across the U.S., you can find trees that are oddly shaped. Their trunks have odd kinks in them, or bend at strange angles. While some of them may indeed be simple quirks of nature, most of these trees are actually landmarks that helped guide indigenous people on their way. Native Americans would bend young trees to create permanent trail markers, designating safe paths through rough country and pointing travelers toward water, food or other important landmarks. Over the years, the trees have grown, keeping their original shape, but with their purpose all but forgotten as modern life sprang up around them. Today, we may not need these “trail trees” to navigate, but their place in history makes them invaluable. Imagine the stories these trees could tell.”
In order for these trees to be preserved, the Mountain Stewards website was created. The site mapped out more than 1,000 bent trees all over the country and documented exactly where they were!
For more on this interesting history fact and the bent tress across America go to the video below.
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Optical illusions can trick your mind into seeing something that is not really there, or miss to notice the obvious, and that’s the reason why they are so popular.
The human mind is incredible and works in unique ways. That is why different people perceive same things in a different manner. Most times, the question isn’t whether something is right or wrong, but it’s all about how we see the world around us. And that’s also true about optical illusions, just like the one below which determines how self-critical you are.
This caused a stir and plenty of views when it was shared on TikTok by user Mia Yillin (@mia_yillin).
Image Credits: TikTok | @mia_yillin
So, how self-critical are you?
Well, there are two images hidden in the photo. The first one is of a crow perched on top of a rock, and the other one shows a face of a man made from small rocks stocked one over another.
Mia explained what it means if you have noticed the crow or the face first.
The Crow: If the first thing that you noticed is the crow, you have a reputation for being judgmental. However, according to Mia, although this looks like a criticism at first glance, it’s not necessarily something bad. She adds that you are likely a person who finds themselves holding strong opinions about others almost unintentionally. However, your intuition is also notably strong, which means that most of the time your suspicions and assumptions are proven to be true.
The Face: If you saw the face first, you are too self-critical, and that’s a form of a defense mechanism for you. This is because you have a deep fear of being disliked or rejected by those around you. Mia added that these people should do all in their power to avoid letting the self-critical and self-sabotaging thoughts stay on your way of finding yourself and being the person you want to be.
As always, Internet users were quick to let Mia know if her interpretations of the optical illusion she shared were accuarte.
Matthew Perry’s co-stars from the iconic TV show Friends on which he played the character of sarcastic but witty Chandler Bing released a joint statement following his sudden but tragic passing.
“There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss.
“In time we will say more, as and when we are able,” they continued. “For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world.”
Perry’s life was a complicated one. While he was always there for those in need of help, especially those who struggled with addictions, he couldn’t help himself.
Steven Ferdman/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
His battle with alcohol and drug abuse started prior to landing the role of Chandler Bing, and sadly, it continued until the end of his life.
Perry was never married, although he was once engaged and was involved in several relationships, including that with actress Julia Roberts.
“Dating Julia Roberts had been too much for me,” Perry wrote in his memoir. “I had been constantly certain that she was going to break up with me — why would she not? I was not enough; I could never be enough; I was broken, bent, unlovable.”
“So instead of facing the inevitable agony of losing her, I broke up with the beautiful and brilliant Julia Roberts,” he continued. “She might have considered herself slumming it with a TV guy, and TV guy was now breaking up with her. I can’t begin to describe the look of confusion on her face.”
Over the ten years Friends aired, there were plenty of celebrities who guest-starred on the show, including Brad Pitt, Danny DeVito, and Tom Selleck, but Julia Robert’s appearance was Perry’s favorite.
The Pretty Woman star was set to appear on the Superbowl special episode of Friends.
Liaison
But she had one demand: Being in Matthew’s character, Chandler Bing’s, storyline. However, there was one more thing she wanted from Matthew Perry.
“Matthew asked her to be on the show. She wrote back to him, ‘Write me a paper on quantum physics, and I’ll do it,’” Friends co-creator Kevin Bright told The Hollywood Reporter.
“But first, I had to woo her,” he wrote in his memoir. “Her reply was that if I adequately explained quantum physics to her, she’d agree to be on the show. Wow. First of all, I’m in an exchange with the woman for whom lipstick was invented, and now I have to hit the books.”
“The following day, I sent her a paper all about wave-particle duality and the uncertainty principle and entanglement, and only some of it was metaphorical. Not only did Julia agree to do the show, but she also sent me a gift: bagels — lots and lots of bagels. Sure, why not? It was Julia f—ing Roberts,” he continued.
The two started dating shortly after.
Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images
In 2020, he got engaged to literary manager Molly Hurwitz, and he seemed over the moon when he made the announcement public.
“I decided to get engaged,” he said at the time. “Luckily, I happened to be dating the greatest woman on the face of the planet at this time.”
However, when he proposed to her, he was at an expensive Swiss rehab center, and later confessed he was under influence of drugs at the time, and he felt very lonely.
“I bought her a ring because I was desperate that she would leave me,” he wrote, without actually using Hurwitz’s name, I didn’t want to be this injured and alone during Covid. I was high on 1,800 milligrams of hydrocodone when I asked her to marry me, I had even asked for her family’s blessing.”
“Then I’d proposed, high as a kite. And on one knee. And she knew it, too, and she said yes,” Matthew Perry added.
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When he returned to LA, he realized what he did. He didn’t even remember proposing.
“I was slowly beginning to realize that I was engaged, lived with a woman and two dogs. Needless to say, I was not ready for any of this. You live with me? We live together?” Perry wrote.
“We have kids’ names picked out, the whole nine yards, which is the name of a movie I once made? ‘You went down on one knee to propose, which really hurt your stomach, remember?’”
A year later, they called off the engagement.
Molly Hurwitz took to Instagram to honor her former fiancé after his passing, writing she will remember him as someone who had a “profound impact” on her life.
“He would love that the world is talking about how talented he was,” she began her post. “And he really was very talented.”
“But, I obviously knew that man in a very different way, too,” she continued, touching on their difficulties during their time together. “While I loved him deeper than I could comprehend, he was complicated, and he caused pain like I’d never known. No one in my adult life has had a more profound impact on me than Matthew Langford Perry. I have tremendous gratitude for that, for everything I learned from our relationship.”
“Matty, I feel relief that you are at peace,” Molly Hurwitz ended her post.
Youtube/The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
One of Perry’s close friends, Ione Skye, whom he debuted with in the 1988 film A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon, shared a screenshot of her last conversation with Perry.
“Hi! I hope all is well. I was meditating (I meditate now) and ‘In Your Eyes’ started playing. And I instantly thought of how beautiful you are,” Perry wrote in a text message sent to Skye on October 15, in which he referenced the song from her 1989 film Say Anything, according to People.
She replied, “Awe. I love that. Xo,” to which Perry answered, “Hope you are healthy and happy.”
Further, Ione Skye told Matthew it was “good to hear” from him, saying, “I only have nice memories with you.”
Perry said, “Me too. That one afternoon, I was just sitting in my apartment, and there you were!”
Rest in Peace, Matthew Perry.
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Among the rest, Simon Cowell is known as one of the strictest judges on one of the most popular music shows, X Factor, and impressing him isn’t an easy thing to do.
When Brendan Murray took the stage in hopes of becoming a star, he didn’t know his performance would trigger such strong emotions at the judges, the audience, and the huge number of people watching the show from the comfort of their homes.
Before he let his voice loose, Brendan first turned to the rest of the contestants who had already taken their seats on the stage during the six chairs challenge.
He performed Everybody Hurts, a song written and recorded by the hit band R.E.M.
Once he started singing, the judges were stunned and completely taken aback by his vocal abilities while the rest of the contestants felt threatened because they were somehow aware some of them won’t be on that stage for long.
Following his stunningly beautiful performance, he received a standing ovation from the audience. He couldn’t believe the amount of support he received so he collapsed in a squat on the stage, looking as if he is was in tears of joy.
This was one of the very few times judge Simon was in awe by a contestant. He told Brendan that he belonged to a different category than the rest of the contestants and that was enough assurance that he would move on in the competition. Simon told Brendan that the most charming thing about him was that he wasn’t even aware how good he was.
While Brendan was overjoyed by the feedback he got, those listening to him were as excited to listen to him perform again.
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James and Cloe Green fell for one another when they were teenagers. Once ready to start a family together, they tied the knot.
Both of them knew they wanted a large family, especially James, who was infatuated by the idea of being a father.
When she fell pregnant for the first time, Cloe was just 17 years old. That came as a surprise, but they were both excited.
Facebook/CloeGreen
The moment their first son, Leo, was welcomed into the world, they were thrilled. Two years later, they had another son, Oliver, and then a daughter, Meghan.
Their fourth child, Miley, was born with cerebral palsy and required extra special care, so James and Cloe decided they would have no more children and she was fitted with a contraception implant to prevent any future pregnancies. But God had other plans. Cloe somehow fell pregnant again.
Facebook/CloeGreen
“James said it was meant to be for us to have more babies,” Cloe said.
Soon after, babies Lacey and Lexi were born. Sadly, they both had cerebral palsey, just like their older sister.
Eventually, the couple became parents of eight children, and decided it was enough.
With that many children, Cloe was a stay-at-home mother and took care of the children, but James was also heavily involved with their upbringing. He worked from home and he was the one who took the children to and from school every day.
Facebook/CloeGreen
“He’d do the school run, then go to work at the café before picking the kids up,” Cloe said. “Then he’d sit and play games and read until bedtime. He had so much energy.”
Heartbreakingly, the family’s ideal life was shattered into a million pieces when James suddenly died.
Just twelve weeks after their youngest child was born, James woke up around 4:30 one morning and felt numb. He then stopped breathing suddenly.
Facebook/CloeGreen
Cloe performed CPR on her husband while waiting for the ambulance to arrive. “I wanted to scream and cry but knew I needed to keep calm,” Cloe said. James died in his bed, and he was just 31 years old.
His death was sudden, especially because he was a healthy young man, or at least that’s what everyone taught so.
Facebook/CloeGreen
In fact, James suffered from high blood pressure and had a condition known as hypertensive heart disease without being aware of it.
“In my darkest moments I wondered how on earth I would do this without James. But I looked at those eight little faces all depending on me and I knew I had to do this for them and for James,” Cloe said.
“He loved being a dad more than anything and has made me a strong enough parent to face this job alone,” she added.
The entire community gathered together and raised around $10,000 for the family which they used to renovate the family garden to give the children a nice place to play.
Rest in peace, James.
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Gout is a painful condition that can easily lead to joint damage and kidney problems. The reason for gout and the flare-ups it causes are the crystals that form when there is too much uric acid in the bloodstream.
Uric acid, a compound crystal, is usually filtered out by the kidneys and removed from the body through the urine. However, when the levels of it are high, the crystals can cause conditions like gout. This is why it is very important to try and lower the levels of uric acid.
Crystallized uric acid is created by the body when it processes foods that contain purines. Purines on the other hand are building blocks that the body needs to make DNA and RNA. They’re mainly found in meat and meat products. Purines are broken down into uric acid.
The crystals that are build up when the uric acid is high are stored in the spaces between the joints, causing pain.
The first thing to do if you suffer from gout is to reduce the consumption of foods that are rich in purines. Besides the meat, purines are found in shellfish, tuna, dairy products, as well as mushrooms and green peas.
Alcohol, including beer, also contain purine, so they should be avoided as well.
Foods that are low in purines are most fruits and vegetables, as well as nuts.
Uric acid is associated with protein but it can also spike with a high sugar diet, specifically fructose. Liquid sugar are absorbed faster so they cause even more trouble.
In order to reduce the levels of uric acid, besides what was mentioned so far, one should consume foods rich in fiber because fiber helps absorb the crystals, removing them from your joints and helping to eliminate them from your kidneys. You should also avoid saturated fats, like cheese, butter and margarine, and drink plenty of water.
According to research, coffee is also advised to consume as coffee drinkers are less likely to get gout.
Vitamin C reduces uric acid levels and reduces the risk of getting a gout. You can simply take it in a form of a pill or eat foods rich in vitamin C, like cherries, kiwi fruit, mango, papaya, pineapple, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cranberries, watermelon, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, green and red peppers, spinach, cabbage, turnip greens, sweet potatoes.
Getting a good night sleep and reducing the levels of stress reduce the risk of high uric acid. A 2015 study showed that adequate magnesium is associated with lower and healthier levels of uric acid.
Before you try treating this condition on your own, please make sure you are properly diagnosed and always ask your doctor for medical advise.
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Matthew Perry had his big breakthrough with the role of Chandler Bing in Friends, but what he truly wanted was to be remembered as someone who was always there to help those in need, especially those who struggled with addictions just like he did almost his entire life.
Sadly, Perry lost his life in a tragic manner over the weekend. The investigation surrounding his passing is still ongoing as authorities have requested a toxicology report.
Courteney Cox, Matthew Perry, Jennifer Aniston, and Lisa Kudrow from ‘Friends’ in 1996. Credit / William Holz / Fotos International / Getty
Perry and the rest of the cast of Friends were like a family, but he was closest to co-star Jennifer Aniston, who reached to him most often.
Aniston stood by his side through thick and thin and she was the one who stayed in close contact with him during his ups and downs.
A friend of hers told Daily Mail, “Nobody shed more tears for Matthew during the darkest points of his struggles with addiction than Jennifer.”
Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images
That the bond between Perry and Aniston was as close as that of the characters they portrayed was obvious from the 2021 reunion. Back then, it was uncertain whether Perry would take part in it due to his battle with his addictions, but Aniston insisted she wouldn’t want a reunion without him.
She was convinced he would eventually overcome his addictions, but just two years following the reunion, Perry died, and Aniston has utterly been heartbroken ever since. She has always aspired to be supportive and be there for Perry, but the truth is that she has always dreaded this day could come.
Credit / Paul Smith / Featureflash / Shutterstock
Perry and Aniston first met around three years before being cast for the roles of Chandler and Rachel. In his memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, which he published last year, Perry wrote how he attempted to date her, but she declined.
When they reunited again on the set of Friends, their friendship blossomed, and nothing romantic ever happened between them.
She was aware he was struggling and never left his side. She also made sure to never enable his addictions by inviting him to parties.
While promoting his memoir, Perry did an interview with Diane Sawyer and was asked about the cast of friends. He said of Aniston, ”She was the one that reached out the most. You know, I’m really grateful to her for that.”
Aniston, as well as the rest of the cast, released a statement regarding Perry’s passing, calling him a family.
Rest in peace, Matthew Perry.
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