The sister of celebrity blogger Perez Hilton has broken her silence to describe the harrowing moment she discovered him in his bathroom following a shocking self-harm incident that was broadcast live on TikTok — and says she barely recognised the brother she'd known her whole life.
A nightmare made real
Barbara Lavandeira, 42, told Page Six that on the night of 4 August 2026, she had grown increasingly uneasy about Perez — real name Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr — after noticing his bedroom door was closed and locked. 'His door was almost always open,' she recalled. 'When I knocked, he said he was fine, but I could barely hear him. After I knocked a few more times and asked him to open the door, he stopped responding.'
After forcing entry to the bedroom and approaching the locked bathroom door without reply, Barbara's fears were confirmed in the worst possible way. She found her 48-year-old brother 'standing in front of the shower, naked, cut up, covered in blood, with a box cutter in his hand.'
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 his eyes 'didn't look the same' and his smile made her feel as though she was 'staring at someone else' — a detail that speaks to how far removed he seemed from himself in those terrifying moments.
Getting the children out
Acting quickly under unimaginable pressure, Barbara immediately turned her attention to Perez's three children — Mario, 13, Mia, 11, and Mayte, eight — who were in the house at the time. She yelled for them to run to her car, managing to get all three out of the property swiftly before enlisting a nearby friend to take them away from the scene entirely.
She then called 911, raced back inside and used towels to try to stop the bleeding while she waited for emergency services to arrive. It is an act of extraordinary composure from someone who later described 4 August as 'forever one of the darkest days my family and I have ever experienced.'
Fans watching his TikTok livestream had themselves called police after witnessing his actions. His account has since been suspended and the footage removed.
'A long road ahead'
Perez, one of the most prominent celebrity gossip figures of the 2000s who has also appeared on reality television including Celebrity Big Brother, remains in hospital. According to Barbara's latest update, his condition is 'serious but stable', though she is cautious about timelines. 'His physical and mental recovery is going to take a lot of time, but we remain hopeful,' she told Page Six.
I don't want to offer a timeline or make promises about when he might come home. Right now, the most important thing is that he receives the treatment he needs.
Perez has no access to a mobile phone, social media or the internet during his recovery, and his communication has been 'extremely limited and confined to immediate family, medical providers, and others directly involved in his care.'
His mother, Teresita Lavandeira, has filed for temporary custody of his three children in Miami, Florida. Documents obtained by Page Six show Perez 'voluntarily consented' to the arrangement, acknowledging in the paperwork that temporary custody is 'in the best interest of the children.' The move allows Teresita to make decisions about their medical care, education, and general welfare during this period.
The family have asked for privacy and space as they navigate what Barbara has called an 'unimaginably difficult time', directing supporters to Perez's website for updates. Barbara said she chose to speak publicly specifically to dispel the rumours and speculation that had been circulating since the incident — and to ensure the record reflected what she actually witnessed that night.
For emotional support, you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website. PAPYRUS offers specialised suicide prevention support for young people via their HOPELINE247 service, available every day, 24 hours a day. Call 0800 068 4141, text 88247 or email pat@papyrus-uk.org.
