Controversial psychologist Dr. Jordan Peterson spent nearly a month in intensive care and was “near death” this summer while battling pneumonia and sepsis, his daughter revealed in an emotional video update.
“This summer has been exceedingly difficult,” Mikhaila Peterson said in a YouTube post, describing the 62-year-old Canadian author’s prolonged health crisis and calling the past few months “terrifying” for their family.
She explained that her father had been treated in the intensive care unit after being diagnosed with pneumonia and sepsis.
Mikhaila Peterson provided an update on her father’s condition this week.
She explained that his recent health issues followed a summer of “neurological problems that we believe stem from…chronic inflammatory response syndrome, due to decades of mold exposure.”
According to Mikhaila, the condition triggered a series of “neurological symptoms” that worsened after Peterson cleaned out his late father’s basement earlier this year.
“We don’t have a better explanation for his neurological symptoms at the moment other than spiritual attacks,” she added.
The update offers the first detailed account of Peterson’s health since his daughter revealed in August that he was taking “time off of everything.”
Mikhaila Peterson, visibly emotional, said her father was “near death.”
“He’s been suffering for the past several years with unexplainable neuropathy and weakness, among other symptoms,” she explained.
“After nearly a month in the ICU, he’s now been moved to a less critical care floor. Praise God for that.”
She added that her father is showing signs of improvement, though his full recovery remains uncertain.
“We’re still in the midst of this, but we’re seeing improvements every day,” she said.
“The timeline for his full recovery is difficult to predict at the moment.”
She noted that Peterson’s treatment is complicated because “he can’t take most medications without experiencing severe paradoxical reactions, which limits treatment options.”
Mikhaila, 32, also described a series of personal emergencies her family faced this summer, including a medical scare involving her newborn daughter.
Mikhaila said her father was treated in the intensive care unit after being diagnosed with pneumonia and sepsis.
“In August, the day Dad was brought to the hospital by ambulance, my newborn Audrey was also taken to the hospital within hours of each other,” she said. The baby, who had previously been treated for pulmonary hypertension, has since stabilized.
“Every single day this summer and now fall has felt like watching a movie,” she added, pausing through tears. “I miss my dad. My brother misses his dad. My mom misses her best friend and husband.”
Mikhaila, who co-hosts her father’s Daily Wire program Answer the Call, explained that Peterson’s hospitalization came after weeks of worsening health linked to his immune system disorder. She described the illness as “heartbreaking and brutal” but emphasized that her father is showing signs of improvement.
“He’s hopefully recovering,” she said. “He’s out of the ICU, so that’s the main thing… Praise God for that.”
Mikhaila said her father’s most recent health issues followed a summer marked by a “host of neurological problems.”
Peterson, who joined The Daily Wire in 2022, first rose to global prominence after publicly opposing Canada’s Bill C-16, which added gender identity protections to the country’s human-rights code. His 2018 self-help book, 12 Rules for Life, sold millions of copies worldwide and launched a speaking tour that made him one of the most recognizable conservative intellectuals in the English-speaking world.
However, his health problems have repeatedly forced him to step back from public life. In 2019, Peterson sought treatment for benzodiazepine dependence and later developed akathisia, a severe neurological condition causing restlessness and agitation. He received treatment in Russia and Serbia before returning to Canada in 2020.
In recent months, Mikhaila said her father’s immune issues have caused extreme sensitivities to both food and medication—a pattern she noted has persisted for years. She also framed his recent ordeal as both physical and spiritual.
“Given we think there’s a spiritual element at play here, we believe the right way to fight back is to keep going and push harder,” she said. “Life isn’t necessarily supposed to get easier when you’re doing the right thing, and I can see God’s hand throughout. But it’s a lot to handle.”
Peterson, who joined The Daily Wire in 2022, first rose to global prominence after publicly opposing Canada’s Bill C-16, which added gender identity protections to the country’s human-rights code.
His family-run education venture, Peterson Academy, continues to operate during his recovery. The online learning platform, launched in 2024, offers video-based courses focused on philosophy, literature, and religion.
Mikhaila said she and others on Peterson’s team are maintaining his projects while he recuperates and plan to release his lecture tour, We Who Wrestle with God, for free on YouTube.
She concluded her 13-minute video by thanking supporters and emphasizing her family’s faith. “We’re relying heavily on the Lord through this and seeing miracles around us,” she said. “It’s been overwhelming, but it looks like — and we’re praying that — things are headed in the right direction.”
No timetable has been set for Peterson’s full return to public life. His daughter said she will post another update “when we have more information.”
