Perez Hilton’s sister has spoken out about some of the signs she noticed before finding her brother injured in his Miami home.
The 48-year-old had sparked concerns among viewers after he appeared to be covered in blood and brandishing a knife while on TikTok live, leading to the emergency services being called to his home.
Soon after, a spokesperson for the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office told NBC News that deputies had been called to Hilton’s home following reports of an individual “who was livestreaming acts of self-harm on social media.”
An update from the department then confirmed that the individual was “safely recovered” before being transported by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue to a hospital for medical treatment.
Now, Hilton’s sister has recalled the awful moment when she found her blogger brother covered in blood in his home.
Perez Hilton has been hospitalized after allegedly self-harming on a livestream. Credit: Denise Truscello/Getty Images for BOA Steakhouse Las Vegas
Perez Hilton’s sister recalled the harrowing events
Barbara Lavandeira recalled that fateful day to Page Six, with a detailed first hand account of what happened from her perspective on August 4.
Columnist Hilton, real name Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr., rung alarm bells after livestreaming acts of self-harm on TikTok, as his sister recalled: “August 4 will forever be one of the darkest days my family and I have ever experienced.”
She revealed she suspected that something was wrong as Hilton was in his bedroom with the door shut and locked, as he usually left it open.
Lavandeira, who was visiting from California, asked him if he was okay, and says he claimed he was fine despite failing to answer further knocks.
“Something just felt wrong,” she said, as he also wasn’t answering his phone.
She unlocked the bedroom door and found her brother in the bathroom, as she harrowingly explained: “When I opened the door, my nightmare became a reality,” she said.
“Mario was standing in front of the shower, naked, cut up, covered in blood.”
She went on: “What I can say with certainty is that I didn’t recognize my brother when I looked at him,
“I saw it in his eyes. They didn’t look the same.”
Lavandeira said that Hilton smiled at her soon after, though she felt like she was ‘staring at someone else’.
She called 911 once the children were away from the home, and covered her brother in towels to try and slow the bleeding.
She said that he had lost a ‘significant amount of blood,’ though he could still speak in a quiet voice.
Perez Hilton remains in hospital. Credit: David Becker/Getty Images
Lavandeira shared a plea for Hilton’s mother and children
She explained that her decision to speak publicly came after ‘rumors, false reporting, fake exclusives and made-up quotes’ started to circulate.
“I can only share what I personally witnessed and experienced, but I want people to hear directly from someone who was actually there,” Lavandeira stated.
“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 of Hilton’s past, asking for forgiveness from the public.
She also urged people not to get his family members involved, as Lavandeira added: “Whatever anyone thinks about Mario, his children and our mother are innocent,
“They shouldn’t be punished or tormented because of how people feel about him.”
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.
