Anthony Thomas 'TJ' Hoover, a Kentucky man declared brain dead after a drug overdose, allegedly regained consciousness and began crying just as doctors were preparing to harvest his organs for donation, according to reports.
Incident at Baptist Health Richmond Hospital
Hoover was rushed to Baptist Health Richmond Hospital in Richmond, Kentucky, on 25 October 2021, after suffering cardiac arrest triggered by a drug overdose. His sister, Donna Rhorer, recalled that medics informed the family the following day that her brother displayed 'no reflexes' and 'there was no brain activity, no brain waves.'
Following the medical team's assessment, the family faced the devastating decision to discontinue life support. Hospital staff then informed Hoover's sister and family members that he had signed up as an organ donor should he die.
Family's observations dismissed as reflexes
Donna noticed her brother's eyes opening and seemingly following her family's movements across the room. However, when she raised this with the physicians, they dismissed it as 'just reflexes' and 'normal thing,' which led the family to trust the medical experts' opinion without questioning further.
She remembered: 'We had his honour walk Friday afternoon. During his honour walk, his eyes started opening up. He was tracking. His eyes were tracking us around. We were told it was just reflexes, just a normal thing. Who are we to question the medical system?'
Waking up during surgery
Yet, as medical staff prepared to remove Mr Hoover's heart for donation, the unimaginable occurred — he regained consciousness. His sister recounted the moment a surgeon emerged from the operating theatre, revealing that Mr Hoover 'wasn't ready' for the procedure.
Donna told WKYT News: 'Probably about an hour into [the surgery], the doctor came out and got us. He said he wasn't ready. He woke up.'
She also disclosed a previously unrevealed incident: 'But we also hadn't been told during his heart catheterisation that morning, he woke up then. If we had known that, then clearly we would have known he wasn't brain dead.'
Aftermath and investigation
Following this, physicians advised her to take her brother home to keep him comfortable, as his prognosis was bleak. For three years, Donna has been looking after her brother. It wasn't until January that she discovered the full details of what happened during her brother's surgery, after a former Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (Koda) employee contacted her about Hoover 'thrashing' on the operating table and 'crying visibly' at the hospital.
Baptist Health emphasised patient safety as their 'highest priority' in a recent statement, noting, 'We work closely with our patients and their families to ensure our patients' wishes for organ donation are followed.'
Reports suggest that both the state attorney general's office and a federal body overseeing organ procurement activities are investigating the issue.
