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Perez Hilton’s sister, Barbara Lavandeira, is calling out the people mocking his hospitalization.
“The comments calling this ‘karma’ have been especially painful,” Lavandeira told Page Six on Thursday, August 13. “I wouldn’t wish what my mother, Mario’s children, or our entire family is experiencing on anyone.”
Lavandeira discussed Hilton’s complicated history as a celebrity blogger, noting that he previously “acknowledged the harm he caused earlier in his career.” She urged the public to take Hilton’s own mental health struggles into account.
“I’m not asking anyone to forget or excuse any of that. I also understand that some people will always believe he hasn’t done enough, despite his efforts,” Lavandeira added. “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 continued: “I don’t believe someone should be reduced forever to the worst things they did in their past, especially when they’ve admitted the harm and genuinely tried to grow. 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.”
Hilton, 48, got his start writing gossip items about celebrities in the early 2000s, which often featured photos with his own added captions or “doodles.” Over the years, Hilton’s blog received criticism, but he claimed during a 2010 appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show that he would no longer “call people nasty nicknames” and “out people.”
More recently, Hilton revealed in an interview on Sean Hannity‘s “Hang Out With Sean Hannity” podcast that he’s “tried to” make amends with some of the celebrities he featured on his blog, including Britney Spears.
Earlier this month, Hilton was hospitalized after he appeared to engage in self-harm behavior during a TikTok livestream. According to 911 dispatch audio obtained by Page Six, first responders were called to Hilton’s home in Miami for an alleged “suicide attempt.”
“The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office received multiple calls regarding an individual who was live-streaming acts of self-harm on social media,” the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office told Us in a statement. “Deputies quickly located the individual’s residence, where they spoke with family members on scene, and confirmed he was alone inside.”
The statement continued: “In many incidents involving a person experiencing a mental health crisis or actively harming themselves, deputies prioritize deescalation by creating time, distance and opportunities for communication. At this time, deputies have tactfully disengaged while continuing to monitor the situation.”
In her emotional interview, Lavandeira, who called the authorities to Hilton’s home, referred to the evening as “one of the darkest days my family and I have ever experienced.”
“[Perez] remains hospitalized 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,” Lavandeira said on Thursday. “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.”
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
