In a twist no one could have anticipated, a Kentucky man—Anthony Thomas “TJ” Hoover II—declared brain dead, awoke during an organ harvesting operation, sparking intense scrutiny over organ procurement protocols.
It all began in October 2021 when Hoover, following a drug overdose, was admitted to Baptist Health Hospital in Richmond. With no reflexes or brain activity detected, doctors grimly informed his family that life support removal was the only option. Hoover, a registered organ donor, was prepped for organ harvesting, with the family enduring a ceremony to honor his decision.
But what came next defied belief.
As surgeons moved forward with the procedure, Hoover’s eyes opened. His sister, Donna Rhorer, had noticed subtle signs of life earlier—his eyes tracking movement. Despite doctors brushing it off as reflexes, Hoover, shockingly, “woke up” mid-surgery. The family was advised to take him home, where doctors expected him to pass soon after. Yet, Hoover lived on, albeit now with memory, speech, and mobility impairments.
The bizarre turn of events didn’t end there. In January 2023, a former Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA) employee came forward, revealing that Hoover had been “thrashing” and crying during the attempted organ retrieval. The disturbing details reached a congressional committee investigating the safety of organ procurement.
As the investigation unfolds, questions about accountability, medical ethics, and reform loom large. While Baptist Health and KODA maintain they followed procedures, the system faces scrutiny. Hoover’s family, feeling like David facing Goliath, hopes their story leads to reforms and better protection for future patients, forever altering how we perceive death, life, and everything in between.