Matthew Perry’s Family Addresses His Death & Fans in New Statement

Matthew Perry‘s family is speaking out in the wake of his death — and they’re addressing both the suddenness of losing him … and the love they’ve received in the aftermath.

The actor’s family tells TMZ … “We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother. 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.”

It’s brief, but impactful … especially considering how strongly folks have reacted to the news.

Of course, members of Matt’s family were on the scene last night — including his parents, Suzanne Morrison and John Bennett Perry — pulling up to his property and looking sorrowful. Even his stepfather, Keith Morrison, arrived and was moving through police tape.

Perry’s parents split while he was young … and his mother went on to marry Keith and have children with him — including 3 girls and 1 boy, all of whom are MP’s half-siblings. Keith also has a son from a previous marriage.

While his mom and dad might’ve not been together through most of his life — they displayed a united front Saturday night in front of paps … this while investigators did their work.

Countless stars and showbiz types have been pouring on the tributes for Matt — including some old “Friends” staffers … mostly folks behind the scenes. We still haven’t heard directly from any of his main costars … who’ve all been radio silent since TMZ broke the news.

An investigation into Matthew’s death is ongoing … but we know he was discovered unresponsive in his hot tub. No foul play is suspected, and no illicit drugs were found either.

He was 54.