The celebrity blogger was hospitalized after he appeared to self-harm on an Aug. 4 livestream
Credit: Stefanie Keenan/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Perez Hilton has entered a residential treatment program, his family said, over a month after he attempted to die by suicide
- The 48-year-old blogger was hospitalized on Aug. 4 following a TikTok livestream from his Miami home where he was covered in blood and appeared to commit acts of self-harm
- During the incident, Hilton, whose legal name is Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr., experienced “significant blood loss” and broke multiple bones, his family has shared
Perez Hilton has entered a residential treatment program, his family said over a month after he attempted to die by suicide.
The 48-year-old blogger was previously hospitalized on Aug. 4 following a TikTok livestream from his Miami home where he was covered in blood and appeared to commit acts of self-harm. Authorities treated Hilton for lacerations and an overdose before he was taken to the hospital under Florida’s Baker Act, a state law that allows authorities to hold someone involuntarily for a period of time if they pose a threat of harm to themselves or others.
During the incident, Hilton, whose legal name is Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr., experienced “significant blood loss” and broke multiple bones, his family has shared. The family has also said that Hilton required surgery and has met with psychiatrists while receiving inpatient medical care. Following his livestream, Hilton’s TikTok account was banned.
On Sept. 14, his family shared in an update posted to his website that, after receiving treatment for his physical injuries in a hospital for several weeks, he had moved to a residential treatment program where he could “focus fully on his mental health and recovery.”
The family added that they expected the blogger to remain in residential treatment “several more weeks” or even longer, depending on the plan recommended by the treatment team.
“He still does not have access to his phone or laptop, and his contact with family and friends remains limited so that he can focus fully on getting better,” the family wrote. They also slammed “false reports” surrounding his physical health, including that he had lost 10 years of his memory, that he was confused about his surroundings, and that he had stitches and was covered in gauze.
Hilton is a father to three children, Mario, 13, Mia, 11, and Mayte, 8, all of whom lived with him and his mother in Miami at the time of his hospitalization. Hilton’s children, niece and sister were home minutes before his livestream and fled the property when his sister discovered him harming himself inside his bathroom.
Credit: Denise Truscello/Getty
Three days after his livestream, Hilton’s mother, Teresita Lavandeira, filed for temporary custody of his children, a move her attorney said was intended to “protect the children and make sure they are safe.”
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She was granted temporary custody of Hilton’s children on Aug. 18, and the internet personality was given supervised visitation, TMZ reported, citing court documents. Hilton is required to gain “psychiatric clearance” prior to visits with the children, requirements that will remain in place until Lavandeira files otherwise, the outlet reported.
In their Sept. 14 update, Hilton’s family wrote, “His three children remain together, safe, and doing well in the care of their grandmother, who has stepped in to care for them full-time during this unexpected chapter. Our family’s priority continues to be giving them as much stability, routine, and ‘normalcy’ as possible while their dad focuses on his recovery. We are incredibly grateful for everything their grandmother is doing for them.”
Representatives for Hilton shared in a statement on Aug. 5 that they did not “have any additional confirmed information to share regarding Perez Hilton’s condition” and have not commented further in the weeks since.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7.
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