### Transplant Horror: Donor Awakens on Operating Table in Kentucky Hospital

A harrowing event unfolded at Baptist Health Richmond Hospital in Kentucky when Thomas T.J. Hoover, a 36-year-old overdose victim declared brain-dead, awoke just as doctors were about to remove his heart for transplantation. The incident, which occurred in October 2021, has left both medical staff and family members in shock.

Witnesses report that Hoover, initially admitted after a drug overdose, was declared brain-dead by doctors who then proceeded to evaluate his organs for donation. However, when Hoover was brought into the operating room, Natasha Miller, a staff member tasked with organ preservation, observed unsettling signs of life. "He was moving around - kind of thrashing," Miller recounted. "And then when we went over there, you could see he had tears coming down. He was crying visibly."

The sight of Hoover’s apparent consciousness led two involved doctors to refuse to continue with the procedure. Disturbingly, Miller also heard the case coordinator from Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA) insist on finding alternate doctors to harvest Hoover's organs, despite clear signs of life.

Adding to the unethical mishandling, KODA worker Nyckoletta Martin discovered from case file records that Hoover had shown signs of life earlier during a cardiac catheterization. Though he had thrashed on the table, doctors sedated him and moved forward with their plans. "The donor had woken up during his procedure that morning for a cardiac catheterization. And he was thrashing around on the table," Martin said.

The incident has led to multiple resignations within the KODA team and has raised significant ethical and procedural concerns. "I've dedicated my entire life to organ donation and transplant," Martin told NPR. "It's very scary to me now that these things are allowed to happen and there's not more in place to protect donors."

Donna Rhorer, Hoover’s sister and legal guardian, also witnessed troubling signs. She saw Hoover open his eyes while being wheeled from the intensive care unit to the operating room. Despite being told these were mere reflexes, the family believes it was Hoover’s way of signaling his consciousness. "It was like it was his way of letting us know, you know, 'Hey, I'm still here,'" Rhorer said.

In the aftermath of the incident, Kentucky's state attorney general and the federal Health Resources and Services Administration have launched investigations into the matter. Remarkably, Hoover has survived and is currently recuperating with his sister, although he still faces challenges with memory, walking, and talking due to the ordeal.

This case highlights the critical need for stringent safeguards in organ donation procedures to ensure ethical standards are upheld and donor rights are protected.