Perez Hilton checked into hospital weeks before livestream as family detail ‘long road’ to recovery

More than a week after a livestream video showed Perez Hilton graphically self-harming in his home, his family has shared more about his recovery, and ongoing mental health struggles.

In the last day, Perez’s sister has given an extensive interview about her brother, and has shared that he checked into hospital with “severe depression” in the weeks prior to the livestream.

She explained that Perez, real name Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr, reached out to her and his mother about two weeks prior to the video incident.

“He told us that a few days earlier, he had felt empty, hopeless and like he was a burden on everyone,” Barbara Lavandeira told Page Six. “He then admitted that one night when he couldn’t sleep, he had taken the remaining painkillers from his surgery in March. He said he just wanted to sleep.”

She recalled hearing this “broke [her] heart” and she took him to hospital that same day as she believed he “needed proper psychiatric help”. Barbara explained: “He went voluntarily. After several days of evaluation and treatment, the facility determined that he could be discharged.”

via YouTube

She had then believed that things with her brother were improving. “That weekend, Mario seemed so much better. He looked better, too. We spent time together as a family, and he started looking up coping mechanisms and grounding techniques he had learned during his short stay [in the hospital],” she said.

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On August 3rd, Perez Hilton had returned to normal therapy sessions, and seemed to be improving. However, the very next day was when the live video happened.

Later in the interview with the publication, Barbara gave an update on her brother’s current condition. She explained: “Mario remains hospitalised and continues to receive medical treatment for his injuries. His physical and mental recovery is going to take a lot of time, but we remain hopeful.

“He has no access to a cell phone, social media or the internet. Everyone’s focus is on helping him recover physically and making sure he receives the mental and emotional care and support he needs.

“He did sustain cuts to his face and other areas, but it’s still far too early to know the extent of any lasting damage or scarring. What I can say is that he has a long road ahead of him, both physically and mentally.”

In a statement shared to the Perez Hilton website, Barbara explained her decision to give an interview. “The past several days have been incredibly difficult. I rarely give interviews, but I felt it was important to speak on the record about what happened, share what I personally witnessed, and address some of the misinformation circulating,” she said.

If you or someone you know is struggling, help is out there. Speak with somebody today, in confidence, by calling Samaritans on 116 123 or visit the website. Calls are taken 24-hours a day. 

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