Celebrity gossip blogger Perez Hilton was hospitalized following a serious mental health crisis at his Westchester home, according to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s office and several media outlets.
Hilton, whose real name is Mario Lavandeira Jr., was hospitalized Tuesday night after livestreaming himself engaged in what appeared to be self-harm on TikTok Live.
Viewers who watched the broadcast called 911 just after 7 p.m. While viewers pleaded with him to stop, the Miami Herald reported that he mumbled, “I’m doing this for my kids” and “This is what you wanted.”
At one point during the livestream, Hilton remarked, “I’m surprised TikTok is allowing this to stay on.” The platform eventually shut down the stream after several minutes.
The Hollywood Reporter said TikTok officials banned Perez's social media account for violating community guidelines.
Deputies with the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office and a Crisis Response Unit responded to Hilton’s home. Authorities confirmed that Hilton, who has three children ages 8, 11, and 13, was alone at the time. Deputies chose to “tactically disengage” to de-escalate the situation rather than storm the house.
“In many incidents involving a person experiencing a mental health crisis or actively harming themselves, deputies prioritize de-escalation by creating time, distance, and opportunities for communication. Unless there is an immediate threat to others, slowing the situation and utilizing crisis intervention techniques can reduce the likelihood of a suicide-by-cop encounter and minimize the risk of injury to the individual, deputies, and the public,” the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office said in a statement to the Miami Herald.
Hilton was transported by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue via ambulance to HCA Florida Kendall Hospital and was then Baker Acted.
Florida’s Baker Act, known formally as the state’s Mental Health Act, allows authorities to hold children or adults up to 72 hours for examination if they are showing signs of mental illness and without care or treatment, post an immediate, significant threat to themselves or others.
The incident comes shortly after Hilton relocated to Miami in late June following a three-year stay in Las Vegas. Hilton told his followers that he felt guided back to Florida following a major health crisis earlier this year.
Despite expressing excitement about returning to his hometown—including visiting the iconic Café Versailles in Little Havana—Hilton admitted in a recent YouTube video that he felt misgivings about returning due to past personal loss and trauma, including the sudden death of his father during his high school years. "I got out of there as quickly as I could because I had so much trauma associated with my time in Miami," he said in the video.
Compounding his stress were high medical expenses following his previous hospital stay. “That’s why your boy is in hustle mode,” he recently shared with his followers in talking about astronomical hospital bills.
On Wednesday, Hilton’s family and team issued a statement on his website, saying he is receiving help:
“We are incredibly grateful for the overwhelming outpouring of love, support, and prayers,” the statement read. “We can confirm that Perez is receiving medical care, and our family’s focus right now is on his well-being. We kindly ask that you respect Perez’s privacy, as well as the privacy of his family, during this difficult time.”
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. You can call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org, or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
