Sometimes the greatest measure of who we are isn’t found in how we celebrate someone’s victories. It’s revealed in how we respond when they’re living through the darkest night of their life. Every headline we read, every social media post we share, and every opinion we offer has the potential to either become another stone someone has to carry or another hand helping them stand. In moments like these, humanity is put on trial. So is our compassion.
Over the last 24 hours, the spotlight has been fixed on Perez Hilton following reports that he experienced a serious mental health crisis and was taken to a hospital for treatment. There will be endless conversations about what happened. There will be speculation, opinions, and thousands of strangers who think they know the entire story.
The truth is…
Very few of us do.
What we do know is that someone is hurting.
And that should be enough for every decent human being to stop, bow their head, and pray instead of pointing a finger.
One of the greatest tragedies of our culture is that we’ve become conditioned to consume someone’s pain as entertainment. The louder the headline, the faster it spreads. The more heartbreaking the moment, the more people feel compelled to comment. Somewhere along the way we’ve forgotten that behind every viral story is a living, breathing person with a family, children, friends, hopes, fears, and emotions that run just as deep as our own.
This story isn’t about celebrity.
This story is about humanity.
I want to make this personal for just a moment.
When I was fighting for my own life—walking through cancer, kidney failure, endless dialysis treatments, overwhelming uncertainty, and wondering what tomorrow might look like—Perez Hilton reached out to me.
He didn’t owe me anything.
He wasn’t looking for publicity.
He wasn’t trying to build his brand.
He simply cared enough to spend time talking with me.
He encouraged me.
He reminded me that even when life feels impossibly heavy, there are still people willing to carry a corner of your burden.
I’ve never forgotten that.
Which is why I refuse to define him by one difficult moment.
I’d rather remember the countless moments when he chose kindness.
Maybe that’s exactly what we all need to do.
Those of us in broadcasting spend our lives talking about connection. We build radio stations around community. We tell listeners we’re here during the storms. We ask them to trust us with their mornings, their afternoons, and their lives.
What if we actually became known as the industry that loved people the loudest?
Not only when they were winning.
But especially when they were struggling.
Because that’s when love matters most.
The Bible tells us that the Good Shepherd left the ninety-nine to go after the one.
I’ve always loved that story because it turns the world’s definition of success upside down.
Jesus didn’t abandon the one because it wandered.
He pursued the one because it mattered.
Every single person matters.
Every single life matters.
Every single heart matters.
Perez matters.
If you’re reading this, my friend, hear these words from someone who knows what it’s feels like to wonder how you’re going to make it through another day.
Take the time to heal.
Let people love you.
Accept the prayers.
Accept the help.
Accept the grace.
You don’t have to carry everything by yourself anymore.
God has never asked us to fight every battle alone.
And neither should you.
One thing I know with absolute certainty is this:
The same God who has carried me through cancer…
The same God who has carried me through kidney failure…
The same God who continues carrying me every single day…
…is still in the business of restoring broken hearts.
He isn’t finished with you.
Not even close.
From everyone here at On The Dial, we’re choosing a different response than the rest of the internet.
We’re choosing compassion over criticism.
Grace over gossip.
Prayer over speculation.
Hope over headlines.
Because love still wins.
It always has.
It always will.
Perez, we’ll be praying for you every step of the journey. We’ll believe in your healing until you can believe it yourself. We’ll continue cheering you on because that’s what friends do, that’s what humanity does, and that’s what Christ taught us to do.
May God wrap His arms around you today, surround your children and your family with peace, and remind you that your story is still being written.
We love you, brother.
Amen.
The entire On The Dial family sends our deepest love, prayers, and unwavering support to Perez Hilton, his children, his family, and everyone standing beside him during this difficult season. May grace be louder than judgment, hope stronger than despair, and God’s love more powerful than any darkness this world can bring.
#PrayForPerez #WeStandWithPerez #ChooseGrace #ChooseLove #HumanityFirst #HopeIsAlive #FaithOverFear #GodIsStillWorking #YouAreNotAlone #LoveNeverFails #MentalHealthAwareness #OneHeartOnePrayer #OnTheDial #GraceWins #KeepFighting #Amen