An organ donor, previously declared dead, unexpectedly regained consciousness on the operating table just before surgeons were about to remove his heart. This alarming situation, which resembles a horror movie scenario, happened to a man from Kentucky, USA, who was about to have his organs harvested when he suddenly began “thrashing around” in the operating room.
Thomas “TJ” Hoover II had been declared brain dead in October 2021 following a drug overdose, leading doctors at Baptist Health Richmond Hospital to prepare for organ donation. However, Natasha Miller, responsible for organ preservation that day, noticed something unusual when 36-year-old Hoover was brought into the operating room. “He was moving around—kind of thrashing,” Miller said in an interview with NPR. “And when we got closer, we saw he was crying, with tears streaming down his face.”
Hoover’s unexpected movement created chaos among the medical team. “It was very chaotic. Everyone was extremely upset,” Miller recalled. She also claimed that her supervisor was told to continue with the organ retrieval and “find another doctor” by the Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA), the organization coordinating the transplant. KODA has denied these allegations, but the event led to several staff members resigning.
Miller’s story is backed by Nyckoletta Martin, a former KODA employee, who also noticed signs of life in Hoover while his heart was being evaluated for transplant. Medical records suggest Hoover was re-sedated after showing signs of life. “I’ve dedicated my entire life to organ donation,” Martin told NPR. “It’s terrifying that such things are allowed to happen without better safeguards for donors.”
Hoover’s sister, Donna Rhorer, who is now his legal guardian, expressed her anger and disillusionment with the medical system. She recalled seeing her brother open his eyes when being moved from the ICU, though she was told it was just a reflex. “It felt like his way of telling us, ‘I’m still here,’” she said.
Julie Bergen, president and COO of Network for Hope, a group formed after KODA merged with the LifeCenter Organ Donation Network, denied the claims, stating, “KODA has never pressured anyone to recover organs from a living patient.” Baptist Health Richmond added, “The safety of our patients is our top priority. We work closely with patients and families to ensure their wishes regarding organ donation are respected.” The Kentucky Attorney General and US Health Services Resources are reportedly investigating the case.