Perez Hilton's sister, Barbara Lavandeira, has publicly described the traumatic moment she discovered her brother after he appeared to harm himself during a TikTok livestream on August 5, 2026. The 48-year-old blogger, whose real name is Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr., was hospitalized following the incident, and his mother, Teresita Lavandeira, has filed for temporary custody of his three children, who were in the house at the time.
A Sister's Harrowing Account
In an interview with Page Six, Barbara, 42, recounted how she 'didn't recognise' her brother after entering his bathroom, noting that his eyes 'didn't look the same' and his smile made her feel like she was 'staring at someone else'. She explained that Perez's bedroom door, which was 'almost always open', was locked, and when she knocked, he said he was fine, but his voice was barely audible. After several more knocks, he stopped responding.
Barbara then unlocked the bedroom door and approached the bathroom, knocking multiple times without an answer. When she entered, she saw her brother 'standing in front of the shower, naked, cut up, covered in blood, with a box cutter in his hand.' She described the moment as her 'nightmare became a reality'.
Rapid Response and Family Protection
Immediately, Barbara rushed the children—Mario, 13, Mia, 11, and Mayte, eight—out of the home, yelling for them to run to her car. She 'thankfully' got everyone out quickly and asked a nearby friend to take the youngsters away. She then called 911 and raced back inside, using towels to apply pressure to Perez's wounds while waiting for emergency services.
'He had already lost a significant amount of blood, yet he was somehow still able to speak, although his voice was very faint,' Barbara said. 'The ambulance took him to the hospital, and I stayed behind to speak with the crisis team that arrived.' She added that August 4 'will forever be one of the darkest days my family and I have ever experienced'.
Family Statement and Public Reaction
Perez's family have largely avoided the spotlight, but Barbara said she wanted to dispel rumors about the night's events. Fans had called police after watching the livestream, and his TikTok account has since been suspended, with the video removed. A previous family statement said Perez was held in hospital under Florida's Baker Act, which allows involuntary hospitalization for mental health evaluation.
His communication has been 'extremely limited and confined to immediate family, medical providers, and others directly involved in his care.' The family has requested 'privacy and space', directing fans to his website for updates during this 'unimaginably difficult time'.
Perez Hilton rose to prominence in the 2000s through his celebrity gossip website, becoming one of the most recognizable figures of the era's online entertainment culture. He later expanded into television, appearing on reality shows such as Celebrity Rap Superstar and Celebrity Big Brother.
