Berliner Tageblatt - Aniston, Schwimmer add tributes to 'Friends' co-star Perry

Perry, who played Chandler Bing on the hit TV sitcom from 1994-2004, died at the age of 54, having struggled for decades with addiction and related serious health issues.

"Oh boy this one has cut deep," said Aniston, who played Rachel on the show about six close-knit friends navigating adult life in New York.

"He was such a part of our DNA. We were always the 6 of us. This was a chosen family that forever changed the course of who we were and what our path was going to be," she wrote on Instagram.

Aniston accompanied her post with a screenshot of a text message she received from Perry, in which he wrote: "Making you laugh made my day."

"It says it all," explained Aniston.

Schwimmer, who played Ross on the show, posted a favorite photo of himself and Perry, adding: "Now it makes me smile and grieve at the same time."

"Thank you for ten incredible years of laughter and creativity," he wrote.

Perry was found unconscious in a hot tub at his house in Los Angeles last month. First responders were unable to revive him.

The cause of Perry's death is not yet known. An initial post-mortem examination was inconclusive, and the results of toxicology tests have not yet been released.

Perry's costars -- Aniston, Schwimmer, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, and Lisa Kudrow -- released a joint statement two days after his passing, and the five reportedly attended a private funeral in Los Angeles earlier this month.

On Tuesday, Cox and LeBlanc paid their own emotional tributes to Perry on Instagram.

Perry spoke openly about his decades-long battles with addiction and serious health problems, but news of his sudden passing shocked Hollywood stars and "Friends" fans alike.

Celebrity news website TMZ cited sources saying that no illicit drugs were found at his home, although several medications were discovered including anti-depressants and anxiety medication.

H.Seidel--BTB