Kentucky, USA—A man who had suffered a cardiac arrest and had been declared brain dead woke up while the surgeons were in the middle of the removal of your organs for donationhis family told the media.
The surgical intervention was performed in Kentucky, the home state, Anthony Thomas “TJ” Hoover IIaccording to National Public Radio and Kentucky news station WKYT.
And now the unusual case de Anthony Thomas “TJ” Hoover II is being investigated by government officials state and federal.
U.S. organ procurement officials say there are safeguards to prevent these types of episodesalthough his family said to the media that his experience makes clear the need for some reform.
How did the unusual case of the man declared dead who woke up while his organs were being removed occur?
Hoover’s sister Donna Rhorer told how Hoover was taken to Baptist Hospital Health in Richmond, Kentucky, in October 2021 due to a drug overdose.
Doctors soon told Rhorer and his relatives that Hoover lacked reflexes or brain activity, and ultimately decided to take him off life support, as WKYT noted.
Baptist staff reportedly told Rhorer and his family that Hoover hhad given permission for his organs to be donated in case he died. To honor his wishes, the hospital conducted tests to determine which of his organs would be viable for donation, and even held a ceremony in his honor.
Rhorer said that He noticed Hoover’s eyes widen. and apparently followed the movements of their loved one, according to WKYT.
“Nos They said they were just reflectionssomething normal“He told the media.
“Who are we to question the medical system?”.
About an hour after the man was taken to surgery to remove his organs, a doctor came out and explained that Hoover “wasn’t ready.”
“He woke up,” Rhorer said.
Rhorer recalled that he was instructed to take his brother home and make him comfortable, even though he probably wouldn’t live much longer. and had been caring for Hoover for the past three years.
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He reported that Rhorer had just met the full details of your brother’s surgery at the hands of Baptist y Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (Koda) in January.
They saw Hoover begin to “wallow”
It was then when a former Koda employee—who had coordinated the transplant— contacted her before sending a letter to a congressional committee that held a hearing in September to examine the organizations of organ procurement, NPR reported.
“He was thrashing around on the table,” Nyckoletta Martin said, stating that the patient was simply sedated, according to Dailymail.
Then, as surgeons prepared to remove his organs, Hoover began to “move” and “he was crying visibly“, according to Natasha Miller, another former employee of the same medium.
And his sister, Donna Rhorersaid that He became worried when Hoover seemed to open his eyes and looking around as he was moved from the Intensive Care Unit to the operating room.
“It was like it was his way of letting us know, you know, ‘Hey, I’m still here,’” she said.
However, she and other family members were told it was simply a common reflex.
It wasn’t It wasn’t until Hoover started moving and crying that the surgeons decided not to go ahead with the transplant.
Patient safety
In response to accounts relayed by Rhorer to WKYT and NPR, Baptist Health said in a statement that patient safety was its “top priority.”
“We work in close collaboration with our patients and their families to ensure that our patients’ wishes regarding organ donation are respected,” the hospital statement said.
Koda issued his own statement to NPR, maintaining that Hoover’s case “has not been accurately represented,” that the organization has never harvested organs from live patients and that no one there has been pressured to do so.
The fear that these cases will continue to occur
A statement to WKYT from the organization Network for Hope, which Koda joined in May, said groups like his “they are not involved in patient care…they do not declare death… [y] “They only have the authority to proceed with organ donation recovery after death has been declared by the patient’s independent healthcare provider.”
However, WKYT and NPR reported that the state attorney general’s office, as well as a federal agency that helps oversee the obtaining organs, they are investigating the Hoover case.
NPR has been concerned that some observers fear that the media attention it has garnered Hoover case could undermine organ transplant system with a waiting list of more than 100,000 people.
A medical ethics professor NPR spoke to said all indications are that cases like Hoover’s are, by and large, “isolated cases which, hopefully, we can resolve and prevent them from happening again.”
But Rhorer defended his decision to make Hoover’s story public, saying it would be worth sharing if it could “give another family the courage to speak out or if it could save another life.”
“He tried to tell me, ‘Hey, I’m here,’ but they ignored him,” Rhorer told WKYT. “Eventually, they stopped the procedure because he showed too many signs of life.
“Deep down in my heart, I knew something was going on, but I compared it to David and Goliath. “Who am I to take on the medical system?”
Related
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**Interview with Donna Rhorer: Sister of Anthony Thomas “TJ” Hoover II**
**Interviewer:** Thank you for joining us today, Donna. Your brother’s situation has captured national attention. To start off, can you share what led to your brother being declared brain dead?
**Donna Rhorer:** Thank you for having me. Anthony, or TJ as we call him, was brought to Baptist Health in Richmond, Kentucky, back in October 2021 after a drug overdose. The doctors assessed his condition and told us he lacked brain activity and reflexes. They ultimately recommended taking him off life support.
**Interviewer:** That must have been incredibly difficult for your family. After the decision was made to remove him from life support, what happened next?
**Donna Rhorer:** The hospital staff informed us about TJ’s wishes to donate his organs if he didn’t survive, and they conducted tests to see which organs could be donated. We even participated in a small ceremony to honor his life. But then things took a shocking turn.
**Interviewer:** Can you tell us about the moment you realized he wasn’t as “gone” as the doctors had thought?
**Donna Rhorer:** Absolutely. Just as they were prepping him for surgery, I saw his eyes widen and I could tell he was trying to follow our movements. At first, the staff downplayed it as reflexes, but then, about an hour into the procedure, it became clear that he was moving more than just reflexively—he started to cry and thrash around on the table.
**Interviewer:** That sounds like quite an extraordinary moment. How did the medical team respond when they realized what was happening?
**Donna Rhorer:** A doctor came out to tell us that he wasn’t ready yet, indicating they weren’t going to proceed with the organ removal after all. It was surreal. Initially, I was told to take TJ home and make him comfortable because he likely wouldn’t survive, and then all of this happened.
**Interviewer:** The hospital has stated that they prioritize patient safety above all. How do you feel about their protocols, especially in light of what you experienced?
**Donna Rhorer:** While I appreciate that they prioritize safety, this incident clearly indicates that there may be gaps in how those protocols are executed. My brother woke up in a situation where he should not have been moved to surgery in the first place. I believe this calls for a reevaluation of organ procurement practices.
**Interviewer:** What sort of reforms are you hoping to see as a result of this investigation into your brother’s case?
**Donna Rhorer:** We need more stringent checks before declaring someone brain dead, and better assurances that patients are indeed deceased before organ retrieval begins. It’s crucial to have clearer protocols—not just for the hospitals but also to restore families’ trust in the medical system.
**Interviewer:** Thank you for sharing your brother’s story and your perspective, Donna. Your family’s experience sheds light on an important issue that needs attention in the medical community.
**Donna Rhorer:** Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share. I hope this helps advocate for changes and assures other families that their loved ones will be treated with the utmost care and respect.
Has stated that patient safety is their top priority. How do you feel about their response and the safeguards in place for organ procurement?
**Donna Rhorer:** I appreciate their commitment to patient safety, but this experience raises significant concerns about the processes in place. It shouldn’t take such a shocking turn of events for us to question how organ donation procedures are conducted. My brother’s case highlights a need for reform and greater scrutiny within the system to ensure that no one else goes through a similar nightmare.
**Interviewer:** Since this incident, have you been in contact with any governmental bodies regarding your brother’s case?
**Donna Rhorer:** Yes, we’ve been in touch with state and federal officials. I believe it’s crucial for them to investigate what happened and look into improving the safeguards that are supposedly in place. The idea that someone could be declared brain dead and then show signs of life during surgery is alarming, and we need to ensure that protocols are stringent enough to prevent this from happening again.
**Interviewer:** What message do you hope to convey to other families dealing with similar situations?
**Donna Rhorer:** My deepest hope is that my brother’s experience will encourage families to speak up if they feel something isn’t right. Trust your instincts and advocate for your loved ones. If there’s any sign of life or movement, don’t let medical authority dismiss it. Every life matters, and we need to ensure that everyone is treated with the respect and care they deserve.
**Interviewer:** Thank you for sharing your story, Donna. It’s clear that your brother’s situation has opened up an important conversation about organ donation and patient safety.
**Donna Rhorer:** Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share TJ’s story. It’s vital that we raise awareness and advocate for change.
