The woman who was with Matthew Perry just one day before his tragic death has been identified as Athenna Crosby. The 25-year-old model and entertainment reporter took to Instagram to share the details of her final meeting with the "Friends" star at lunch the afternoon before.
Crosby, who had a friendship with Perry, revealed, "I wasn't going to speak about this, but what I will say is I had the honour of knowing Matthew personally."
She emphasized her reluctance to discuss the matter publicly, considering Perry's private nature, stating, "I am so devastated from his death, but felt it was in poor taste to talk about it publicly as the attention should not be on me but rather on him and his legacy."
During their lunch at the Hotel Bel-Air just one day before his passing, Crosby recalled Perry's vibrant state of mind, saying, "I want to emphasize that Matthew was in extremely good spirits and talked to me enthusiastically about the things he had coming up in his life. He was so happy and vibrant."
Screenshot of Athenna Crosby's tribute to Matthew Perry. (Image: @athennacrosby/Instagram)
In a heartfelt plea to fans, Crosby urged everyone to "refrain from any speculation surrounding his death" and emphasized that Perry was on the verge of a remarkable comeback. She concluded, "Our entertainment industry has truly lost a legend. RIP."
Photos of Matthew Perry and Athenna Crosby engaged in conversation a day before of his death emerged hours before he was found dead in his hot tub at home.
The 54-year-old actor's tragic passing occurred in his Pacific Palisades home. While illegal drugs were not found on the premises, prescription drugs, including antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, and a COPD drug, were present.
Read: 'Friends' cast mourn Matthew Perry's death, release statement: 'unfathomable loss'
The cause of Perry's death remains "deferred" pending the results of toxicology reports. Law enforcement sources have confirmed that his death was not linked to fentanyl or meth.
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