Former ministry leader Bill Gothard still alive in coma

Bill Gothard, 91, remains alive and in a coma four months after suffering a heart attack, his public relations team said in a statement over the weekend. The founder of the Institute in Basic Life Principles has not woken up since the heart attack in June. His team said they were thankful for prayers offered on his behalf, and that they had shared his life story and books with hospital workers.

The update came after Gothard’s team said in September that he seemed to be reacting when people spoke to him. His team previously said that his family would pursue every possible way to prolong his life, in accordance with his wishes.

What is Gothard known for? He founded the Institute in Basic Life Principles in 1961. The ministry held seminars on Biblical principles and child training and strongly promoted homeschooling. Gothard resigned in 2014 after more than 60 sexual harassment and misconduct allegations, which he denied. The ministry’s internal investigation, released later that year, found that he repeatedly behaved in inappropriate, but not criminal, ways toward young women.

Dig deeper: Read my initial report on his health condition after the heart attack.