Perez Hilton's family shares fresh update in plea for visitors to return to Hilton's gossip site
Warning: This article contains discussion of self-harm which some readers may find distressing.
The family of Perez Hilton has thanked fans for their support in a new update on his blog, as his recovery continues.
The 48-year-old entertainment blogger, whose real name is Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr., alarmed his followers earlier this month after appearing to engage in self-harm during a live broadcast, prompting viewers to contact emergency services for a welfare check.
As Hilton’s road to recovery continues, his blog will resume publishing stories, his family said in a statement on Monday (August 17).
Advert
"To everyone who has reached out, checked in, and kept Perez and our family in your thoughts, THANK YOU!" the statement on the website read. "At this time, Perez remains hospitalized and is receiving the medical care he needs. His treatment is continuing in an inpatient setting under the care of a dedicated team of medical and mental health professionals."
On August 4, deputies responded to emergency calls after Hilton was found 'covered in blood' during a TikTok Live. The video was later pulled from the platform.
Hilton was hospitalized and taken for a mental health evaluation, known as a Baker Act.
The statement continued: "Perez built PerezHilton.com more than 20 years ago, and it has remained one of the most important parts of his life ever since. Starting this week, his team will begin publishing again, focusing on the day’s biggest stories.
"Whether you have followed Perez from the beginning or only recently started reading, we hope you will continue visiting, reading, and sharing the site. We deeply appreciate your support while Perez focuses on his health and recovery."
Hilton, who became a prominent and polarizing figure in pop culture commentary during the mid-2000s blog era, has regularly used live video streaming to connect with his audience and share personal updates in recent years.
His sister Barbara Lavandeira gave a detailed account of what happened on August 4.
"When I opened the door, my nightmare became a reality," she told Page Six. "Mario was standing in front of the shower, naked, cut up, covered in blood."
Lavandeira said the image has stayed with her.
"What I can say with certainty is that I didn't recognize my brother when I looked at him," she added. "I saw it in his eyes. They didn't look the same."
She revealed that Hilton smiled at her moments later, saying it felt like she was 'staring at someone else'.
She immediately escorted his children to safety and awaited the arrival of emergency services, but in the wake of the incident, has called out online criticism dubbing the ordeal as 'karma'.
Lavandeira acknowledged that her brother has admitted wrongdoing from his earlier career and apologized for his conduct.
"I'm simply asking people to recognize that he has changed tremendously over the past 20 years and has genuinely tried to become a better person," she said.
She stressed that she was not asking anyone to forget or excuse Hilton's past, but urged people to separate their feelings about him from the family members caught up in the crisis.
"Whatever anyone thinks about Mario, his children and our mother are innocent," Lavandeira said. "They shouldn't be punished or tormented because of how people feel about him."
Who is Perez Hilton?
Perez Hilton is a celebrity gossip columnist, whose pen name is a pun on socialite Paris Hilton.
He launched his website PerezHilton.com in 2004, originally using free WiFi in coffee shops because he couldn’t afford to install an internet connection in his home.
But he became infamous in the 2000s for his controversial coverage of the era’s biggest stars.
He had high-profile friendships with the likes of Lady Gaga, Amanda Bynes and Lindsay Lohan, but other celebs such as Mila Kunis called out what she described as his ‘mean’ coverage.
Hilton appeared on UK reality show Celebrity Big Brother in 2015. He also fronted his own show Perez Hilton Superfan in 2011, with appearances from Katy Perry, Kelly Rowland and Enrique Iglesias.
Writing in his 2020 memoir TMI: My Life in Scandal, Hilton said: “I have a ton of regrets, particularly because I now see that I never needed to be so mean or cruel.
“One of the many things I regret is that I hurt so many people by giving them nasty nicknames, and above all that I was unkind to the children of celebrities.
“I have apologised publicly and privately to dozens of people."
In March 2026, Hilton was hospitalized with sepsis for three weeks from a perforated ulcer and was forced to undergo emergency surgery.
Hilton said that following the experience, he would ‘start taking the kids to church every week’.
Hilton is a single father to three children: Mario, 13, Mia, 11, and Mayte, eight.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, distress, or substance use, help is available 24/7. In the US, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357. In the UK, call 111 or reach out to Samaritans on 116 123.
Greg Harris