Kentucky Man Declared Brain Dead Wakes Up During Organ Harvesting Operation, Opened Eyes and Started Visibly Crying

A Kentucky man who was declared brain-dead woke up as surgeons were in the middle of harvesting his organs.

The Guardian reported that Anthony Thomas “TJ” Hoover II was taken to the Baptist Health Hospital in Richmond, Kentucky, in 2021 due to suffering from cardiac arrest.

Family members were later told by doctors Hoover “lacked any reflexes or brain activity” and was later taken off life support.

Hoover, who was a registered organ donor, was then taken to have his organs evaluated to see which organs were eligible for donation.

As the evaluation process began, Hoover’s eyes opened up, and he started to look at his loved ones in the room.

Family members were told by doctors, “It was just reflexes – just a normal thing.”

Baptist and the Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates reported that an hour later, Hoover’s body was taken into surgery to have his organs removed, but surgeons stopped the process after Hoover started to “thrash” and “cry visibly.”

The doctors then came out and told Hoover’s family he “wasn’t ready” and instructed family members to take him back home and make him “comfortable.”

People reported, “Hoover is still alive and being cared for by his sister as he has difficulty with walking, talking, and memory.”

Kentucky man TJ Hoover comes ‘back to life’ as surgeons began the process of harvesting his body parts after he was declared brain dead.

“I feel betrayed by the fact that the people that were telling us he was brain de*d, and then he wakes up,” his sister told reprters.

The… pic.twitter.com/szhvK0dSWo

— keneci News (@Kenecifeed) October 18, 2024

Per The Guardian:

A man who had gone into cardiac arrest and been declared brain dead woke up as surgeons in his home state of Kentucky were in the middle of harvesting his organs for donation, his family has told media outlets.

As reported Thursday by both National Public Radio and the Kentucky news station WKYT, the case of Anthony Thomas “TJ” Hoover II is under investigation by state and federal government officials. Officials within the US’s organ-procurement system insist there are safeguards in place to prevent such episodes, though his family told the outlets their experience highlights a need for at least some reform.

Hoover’s sister, Donna Rhorer, recounted how Hoover was taken to Baptist health hospital in Richmond, Kentucky, in October 2021 because of a drug overdose. Doctors soon told Rhorer and her relatives that Hoover lacked any reflexes or brain activity, and they ultimately decided to remove him from life support, as WKYT noted.

The staff at Baptist then reportedly told Rhorer and her family that Hoover had given permission for his organs to be donated in the event of his death. To honor his wishes, the hospital tested which of his organs would be viable for donation, and the facility even had a ceremony honoring him.

Rhorer said she noticed Hoover’s eyes open up and seemingly track his loved one’s movements, according to WKYT. “We were told it was just reflexes – just a normal thing,” she said to the outlet.

A Kentucky family is looking for answers after a man was declared brain dead and being prepared to have his organs harvested while he was still alive. https://t.co/B5quwmqnlC pic.twitter.com/E3yDFCqilU

— KGET 17 News (@KGETnews) October 19, 2024

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