A man who was declared brain dead suddenly woke up as doctors were preparing to harvest his organs for donation. File Photo: Pixabay
A 36-year-old man, who was declared brain dead, woke up and began to cry as doctors were preparing to harvest his organs for donation at a hospital in Kentucky, United States.
Anthony Thomas "TJ" Hoover II was taken to Baptist Health Richmond Hospital in Richmond on October 25, 2021, after suffering a cardiac arrest due to drug overdose.
The following day, doctors told his sister, Donna Rhorer, that her brother had no reflexes, there was no brain activity, and he had no brain waves.
The family then made the harrowing decision of removing him from life support and they were subsequently informed that he was a registered organ donor.
Doctors then went through the process of testing which of his organs would be viable for donation and as per tradition, the hospital held a ceremony to honour him.
“We had his honour walk Friday afternoon. During his honour walk, his eyes started opening up. He was tracking. His eyes were tracking us around. We were told it was just reflexes, just a normal thing. Who are we to question the medical system?” Rhorer said in an interview with TV broadcaster, WKYT.
She told the news channel that about an hour into the procedure, the doctor came out of the surgery room and addressed them.
“He said he wasn’t ready. He woke up,” Rhorer said.
As doctors went to test his heart health for transplantation, Hoover was somehow restored to life.
Rhorer said she was told to take Hoover home but he wont live long but he’s been caring for her brother for three years now.
According to Fox8, a former employee at the hospital, Nyckoletta Martin, recently revealed to Rhorer that her brother was alive but the Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA), which is tasked with procuring organs for transplants, were willing to go through with the procedure and take his organs.
“They were trying to prep and drape him for surgery, and it’s kind of crazy, but the doctors decided they were absolutely not going to do this case,” Martin was quoted as saying.
“The KODA coordinator that was on site that day actually called KODA’s admin for some guidance and was told, ‘’You will find another surgeon or you’ll lose your job because we’re going to complete this case,’” Martin added.
Rhorer learned that her brother was thrashing around, crying, trying to pull his teeth out, and pushing everybody’s hands away.
The publication added that the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office is now looking into the case as Hoover’s family demands answers.
“TJ was an outdoorsman. He liked to be in the woods and he says his favourite thing was to watch the deer. He loved camping, hiking, all things outdoor, and everything. His life’s been stripped away from him,’’ Rhorer was quoted as saying.
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