A chilling incident occurred at Baptist Health Richmond Hospital, Kentucky, in October 2021, when Thomas “T.J.” Hoover, who had been declared brain-dead, suddenly regained consciousness on the operating table as surgeons were preparing to harvest his organs. Hoover, a registered organ donor, was taken to the hospital after a drug overdose, where doctors had determined his brain death and readied him for organ retrieval. However, the operation was halted when he unexpectedly began moving, leaving medical staff and family members in shock.
Witnesses, including Natasha Miller, a former employee of the Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA), described the chaotic moment Hoover displayed clear signs of life. “He was thrashing around on the bed,” Miller recounted, adding that Hoover was visibly crying. Hoover’s sister, Donna Rhorer, expressed her growing concern when she saw him opening his eyes as he was wheeled from the ICU to the operating room. Despite her distress, the family was told that his movements were likely involuntary reflexes, a common occurrence in brain-dead patients.
As the transplant team tested Hoover’s heart to determine if it was viable for donation, two surgeons refused to proceed due to the unsettling signs of life. However, Miller disclosed that when she informed a supervisor at KODA about the situation, she was told that the hospital could still proceed by finding another surgeon willing to complete the procedure.
Further revelations were brought to light by another KODA employee, Nyckoletta Martin, who found troubling details during her review of Hoover’s case. Martin discovered that Hoover had previously awakened during a cardiac catheterization procedure earlier that day, displaying similar movements. Medical records confirmed that when Hoover showed signs of consciousness during the heart examination, he was sedated and the operation was continued.
The plan to harvest Hoover’s organs was eventually canceled, leading to significant fallout. Several KODA employees, including Martin, resigned in protest, citing ethical concerns. “It’s terrifying that these things can happen, and there aren’t more safeguards in place to protect donors,” Martin remarked.
KODA denied the allegations, issuing a statement that emphasized its strict compliance with medical protocols: “KODA does not recover organs from living patients, nor has it ever pressured team members to do so.” Meanwhile, investigations have been launched by Kentucky’s state attorney general and the federal Health Resources and Services Administration to determine if any malpractice occurred during the incident.
Hoover survived and now lives with his sister, although he continues to experience challenges with memory, speech, and mobility following the traumatic ordeal. His story has sparked national conversations about medical ethics and the safeguards needed to protect vulnerable patients in end-of-life care.
Martin reflected on the disturbing experience, saying, “It’s everyone’s worst nightmare — being alive during surgery and knowing that your organs are about to be taken.”
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(Rehash/Ankur Deka/MSM)