Perez Hilton's sister, Barbara Lavandeira, has provided a detailed account of the self-harm incident that led to the blogger's hospitalization last week. Lavandeira described bursting into his bathroom to find him "standing in front of the shower, naked, cut up, covered in blood, with a box cutter in his hand."
Hilton, 48, whose real name is Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr., was hospitalized on Tuesday, August 11, following emergency calls reporting a potential suicide attempt. Footage from a livestream, which was later removed by TikTok, reportedly showed him with visible blood injuries after he appeared to cut himself with a knife.
Lavandeira recounted that on the day of the incident, Hilton's three children—Mario, 13, Mia, 11, and Mayte, eight—along with his niece and herself, were present at the house. She became concerned when Hilton locked himself in his bedroom, which was unusual behavior. After he stopped responding to her knocks and calls, Lavandeira unlocked his bedroom door and found him in the bathroom.
"I didn’t recognize my brother when I looked at him," Lavandeira stated, describing his eyes as different and his smile as if she were "staring at someone else." She immediately took the children out to the car to shield them from the unfolding situation, describing it as a "nightmare."
Following the discovery, Lavandeira called 911 and asked a nearby friend to take the children away from the property. She then attempted to staunch Hilton's bleeding with towels while awaiting paramedics. Hilton was transported to a Miami hospital.
His mother, Teresita Lavandeira, has since filed a petition for temporary custody of Hilton's children. Hilton's team confirmed he remains hospitalized under Florida's Baker Act, which allows for involuntary psychiatric commitment. They stated he sustained "significant blood loss" and additional injuries, requiring surgery. His condition is described as serious but stable, with his treatment and recovery expected to be a lengthy process.
Lavandeira chose to speak out to provide clarity amidst circulating rumors and in support of her brother, noting his past acknowledgments of harm caused by his early gossip blog. She emphasized that Hilton has apologized for his past behavior and has changed considerably over the years.
"I don’t believe someone should be reduced forever to the worst things they did in their past, especially when they’ve admitted the harm and genuinely tried to grow," she said, also highlighting that his children and mother should not be punished for public sentiment towards him.
Hilton's family has requested privacy during this difficult time. They have confirmed that his children are safe and being cared for by immediate family. Hilton's team has stated that his communication is limited to immediate family and medical providers due to the conditions of his treatment.
This incident follows a series of health scares for Hilton. In March, he was hospitalized for 21 days due to sepsis resulting from an ulcer. Weeks later, he experienced deep vein thrombosis. He had previously reflected on these health issues, detailing a period where he believed he was going to die. \n
