Warning: This article contains graphic descriptions and images which some readers may find distressing.
An organ donor declared dead allegedly woke up ‘thrashing’ as they were being wheeled into the operating room.
In October 2021, a man named Anthony Thomas ‘TJ’ Hoover II was rushed to hospital as a result of a drug overdose, his sister Donna Rhorer said.
He was declared dead and given he was an organ donor, he was prepped for surgery to have his organs retrieved at Baptist Health hospital in Richmond, Kentucky. However, as he was wheeled into the operating room, those present immediately realized something was very wrong – he was moving.
Natasha Miller works as an organ donor preserver for Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliated (KODA) and told NPR she was there when Hoover was wheeled into the operating theater.
The staff present were all left dumbfounded when they saw the patient ‘thrashing around on the bed,’ Miller going over to him and finding he had ‘tears coming down’ his face.
Miller recalls the procuring surgeon immediately bowing out of the surgery, everyone left ‘very upset’ by the ‘chaotic’ incident, so much so some KODA workers report quitting their roles as a result.
The organ retrieval was subsequently cancelled and the coordinator called the supervisor, explained the doctors had refused to operate and they’d need to ‘find someone else’ to perform the surgery if they wanted it to go ahead.
The supervisor allegedly ‘yelled at’ the coordinator and told them there was ‘no one else’.
But how did TJ end up in the operating room in the first place?
TJ Miller ended up being wheeled in to have his organs removed (TikTok/ @ladonnarhorer)
TJ’s sister Donna has taken to social media to spread awareness about the incident, sharing a screenshot of Baptist Health hospital’s pre-procedure checklist form, which saw him ‘declared brain-dead’ according to the ASA Scale Assessment.
Fellow organ preservationist, Nyckoletta Martin wasn’t involved in TJ’s case but thought she may be asked to step in and so read up on the notes of the case.
She alleges when he underwent a cardiac catheterization – ‘a test or treatment for certain heart or blood vessel problems, such as clogged arteries or irregular heartbeats,’ as per the Mayo Clinic – earlier in the day, he woke up but was sedated and plans to recover his organs carried on.
TJ’s sister says she thought she saw him open his eyes on the way to the operating theater too, but was told it was a common reflex.
Martin reflected : “That’s everybody’s worst nightmare, right? Being alive during surgery and knowing that someone is going to cut you open and take your body parts out? That’s horrifying.”
Workers have spoken out about the incident (TikTok/ @ladonnarhorer)
Despite not being directly involved in the case, given how ‘scary’ she found it that ‘these things are allowed to happen’ and there not being ‘more in place to protect donors’, Martin was one of the workers who later quit, alleging some employees ‘needed to go to therapy’ after the incident too.
And the hospital and organ procurement organization have since spoken out about the incident.
Baptist Health Richmond said in a statement: “The safety of our patients is always our highest priority. We work closely with our patients and their families to ensure our patients’ wishes for organ donation are followed.”
KODA confirmed Miller was assigned to the case and operating theater.
However, the organ procurement organization alleges the case ‘has not been accurately represented,’ arguing ‘no one at KODA has ever been pressured to collect organs from any living patient’.
TJ has been recovering at home with his sister (TikTok/ @ladonnarhorer)
Julie Bergin, president and chief operating officer for Network for Hope, which was formed when KODA merged with the LifeCenter Organ Donor Network continued: “KODA does not recover organs from living patients. KODA has never pressured its team members to do so.”
The Association of Organ Procurement Organizations has also written an open letter condemning ‘misinformation’ for causing a ‘drop in registered donors and threatening lives of patients’.
TJ is since on a journey to recovery, being supported by his sister who is spreading awareness about the case on her TikTok page.
The case is being investigated and overseen by the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office.
The Kentucky Attorney General’s Office is also looking into the case. The state’s AG Russell Coleman told The Independent: “Our office has been in contact with advocates and members of Kentucky’s federal delegation regarding this horrific allegation. In collaboration with our Kentucky law enforcement and prosecutorial partners, we will continue reviewing the facts to identify an appropriate response.”
UNILAD has contacted Baptist Health Richmond and KODA for comment.