Perez Hilton’s family is sharing an update on his kids after his mother, Teresita Lavandeira, was granted temporary custody amid his mental health treatment following a suicide attempt.
“We’re very happy to share that over the past few weeks, Perez has been able to reconnect with his children and his mom,” the blogger’s family wrote in a post on his website on Tuesday, September 29. “They were first able to spend time together through a few video calls, and since then, Perez has also been able to see his children and his mom a few times for short, supervised visits at the facility.”
Hilton, 48, is a single father to son Mario, 13, and daughters Mia, 11, and Mayte, 8.
“Seeing his children in person has meant an enormous amount to Perez,” his family continued. “There have definitely been a lot of emotions for everyone, but being able to spend that time together has been incredibly meaningful and healing.”
The post added, “We’re grateful for the progress Perez has made so far, and especially grateful that he and his children have been able to spend some time together again.”
Hilton was hospitalized on August 4 following a disturbing livestream in which he engaged in acts of self-harm. He underwent surgery due to significant blood loss and remained in the hospital for several weeks before moving to an inpatient treatment facility to focus on his mental health and recovery.
Amid his treatment, Us confirmed last month that Hilton’s mom had been awarded temporary custody of his children. Hilton’s friend Tom D’Angora recently launched a GoFundMe page to help Lavandeira care for the kids. The fundraiser has received more than $14,000 in donations out of its $25,000 goal since its launch on September 17.
“Perez’s mom has been incredibly touched and honestly overwhelmed by everyone’s generosity. It’s meant so much to her and to the kids,” his family said in their update on Tuesday.
“As for Perez, he remains in residential treatment, where the focus continues to be on his mental health and recovery,” their statement continued. “Communication with Perez is still limited, and we’re not able to talk to him daily. While that’s hard for us and for him, we understand that right now the priority isn’t constant communication with family, but rather giving him the time and space to focus on his care and continue making progress.”
Hilton’s family noted that he is “continuing to work with his care team on understanding what led to his mental health crisis, recognizing warning signs, learning better ways to cope and working through everything that brought him to this point.”
They also shared that they do not yet have a timeline for when Hilton will be able to return home.
“This is all still very new to us,” his family said. “We’re listening to the doctors, psychiatrists, therapists, and everyone involved in his care, and trusting their guidance on what Perez needs and when he’s ready for each next step. Nobody wants to rush anything. For now, we’re all taking things one day at a time.”
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
