Perez Hilton, the 48-year-old Cuban-American blogger born as Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr., was urgently hospitalized in Miami on Tuesday night following a distressing self-harm episode witnessed live by thousands on TikTok.
Telemundo 51 reported that the live broadcast showed Hilton covered in blood, with visible cuts on his arms, torso, and face, and a bruised eye, holding what appeared to be a knife.
Viewers immediately began pleading with him to stop and requested his phone number to alert authorities.
Emergency Response and Law Enforcement Intervention
The Miami-Dade County Sheriff's Office received "multiple calls" reporting a man engaging in self-harm during a live broadcast, labeling the situation as a "suicide attempt." According to 911 records obtained by Argentina's La Nación, the first alert came in at 10:41 PM on Tuesday. Footage from the home's smart doorbell camera showed the arrival of the first police units with sirens blaring around 7:10 PM, with additional officers joining shortly after.
Authorities confirmed Hilton was alone inside—his three children were not present—and employed de-escalation protocols before entering.
"Mario, this is the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office, please come out of the house," an officer was heard saying in the released audio.
By around 11:00 PM, officers managed to enter the residence and transported the blogger by ambulance to a local hospital.
Footage showed law enforcement still present at the scene at 11:11 PM, nearly four hours after the initial deployment.
The Crisis Response Unit and mental health professionals also attended to provide support to the family.
TikTok removed the video and permanently banned the blogger's account for violating its community guidelines.
Representatives Speak Out
During the incident, Golden Artists Entertainment's co-CEOs, Dante Rusciolelli and Rebekah Kochan, issued a statement: "We are aware of the concerning content circulating online related to our client. So far, we have been unable to contact him directly despite our ongoing efforts. Our primary concern is Perez’s health and well-being, as well as that of his family."
On Wednesday, the blogger's family and team confirmed he is receiving medical care and requested privacy, without providing details about his condition.
A Year of Health Struggles
This incident follows a year marked by severe health crises. In March, Hilton spent 21 days in the hospital due to a life-threatening sepsis caused by a perforated ulcer.
Weeks later, he underwent another emergency surgery for a massive deep vein thrombosis.
He decided to move from Las Vegas to Miami with his three children—Mario Jr., 13; Mia Alma, 11; and Mayte Amor, 8—and his mother to focus on recovery and being close to family.
"God told me to move to Miami," he stated in a June 17 Instagram video, expressing his wish to "manifest health, good health; that's the most important thing."
The Story of Perez Hilton
Born in Miami to Cuban immigrant parents, Lavandeira studied Drama at New York University before becoming one of the internet's most influential gossip bloggers. His site, perezhilton.com, named as a parody of Paris Hilton, became one of the world's most-read websites in the mid-2000s. In his memoirs, TMI: My Life in Scandal (2020), he admitted, "I eventually realized that what I wrote truly hurt people, and a lot."
As of the conclusion of this report, neither the family nor his representatives have provided updates on the blogger's prognosis or current health status.
Perez Hilton's Health and Legal Concerns
What led to Perez Hilton's hospitalization?
Perez Hilton was hospitalized after a distressing self-harm incident broadcast live on TikTok, which was reported as a suicide attempt by viewers.
How did authorities respond to the incident?
The Miami-Dade County Sheriff's Office received multiple calls and responded by arriving at the scene, using de-escalation protocols before entering the residence to provide assistance.
What has been the response from Perez Hilton’s representatives?
His representatives expressed concern for his well-being and confirmed ongoing efforts to reach him while requesting privacy for his family.