Perez Hilton’s First Words from His Hospital Bed Were Reportedly “I Need Help,” Days After a Self-Harm Livestream on Tiktok

“He’s a man in a lot of pain. I think right now he’s focused on the physical, but it’s all tied together. No one deserves the torment he’s going through.” — an insider close to the family

Perez Hilton, 48, was taken to a Miami hospital late Tuesday after livestreaming what appeared to be a self-harm video on TikTok, according to the Daily Mail. Audio from a 911 dispatch described the incident as a “suicide attempt.”

An insider close to the family told the outlet that Hilton is “stable and alert” and was “able to articulate himself” to his mother, Teresita Lavandeira, though they don’t think “he’s quite self-aware enough yet” to understand what happened.

The same source said nothing specific set it off. “He hasn’t been particularly depressed,” they said, adding that he’d been “actually looking forward to new opportunities and new projects.” They pointed to the strain of his recent move from Las Vegas to Miami, two hospitalizations earlier this year, and the medical bills that followed.

Hilton’s sister Barbara Lavandeira said in a Thursday family update that when “it became clear that Perez was experiencing a severe mental health crisis and harming himself,” she, Hilton’s niece, and his three children “immediately fled to protect” the kids from witnessing further trauma. Teresita is now keeping the children and has told the Department of Children and Families she’s willing to have them “as long as needed.”

The TikTok livestream was taken down after 15 to 20 minutes due to what the platform called a “moderator error.” Hilton’s reps have not responded to Page Six’s requests for comment.

If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or text the Crisis Text Line at 741741.

Want more Thought Catalog? Follow us on Facebook or head to our website.