Kentucky organ donor who woke up on operating table had heartbreaking past involving death, drugs

The “brain dead” Kentucky organ donor who woke up connected nan operating array endured calamity and intelligence wellness issues that yet spiraled pinch his supplier overdose, according to a caller report.

Thomas “TJ” Hoover, now 36, was astir sliced up astatine nan Baptist Health Richmond Hospital successful 2021 aft overdosing successful his car — and past being declared encephalon dead.

Donna Rohrer, his sister and caregiver, said nan incident was nan culmination of years of suffering for her brother, which began erstwhile he saw dormant bodies while doing cleanup during hurricanes Katrina and Rita successful 2005, CNN reported.

Rohrer told nan outlet nan quality costs and devastation of nan deadly hurricanes led to him to return medicine for anxiety, slump and PTSD.

But nan medications caused Hoover to consciousness for illustration “a zombie,” Rohrer said, pinch her relative incapable to find activity and yet leaning to forbidden narcotics to thief him cope.

Rohrer had already mislaid 2 brothers to overdoses, and while Hoover made attempts to get clean, nan last straw came erstwhile their mother passed distant successful 2021.

Months aft her death, connected nan day of her birthday, Hoover overdosed and was rushed to nan hospital, wherever doctors declared him encephalon dormant nan pursuing day.

Hoover was listed arsenic an organ donor, pinch medics spending nan adjacent 2 days testing his organs to spot which would beryllium viable for transplant.

Members of nan Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA) opportunity nan process was horrifically flawed, pinch witnesses saying Hoover showed clear signs of life and was moreover moving his assemblage and eyes.

“The philanthropist had woken up during his process that greeting for a cardiac catheterization. And he was thrashing astir connected nan table,” erstwhile KODA employee Nyckoletta Martin told NPR.

According to lawsuit record records, nan Hippocratic oath takers simply sedated nan struggling Hoover erstwhile he arose — and proceeded pinch their plans to harvest his organs.

The incident caused respective members of nan KODA squad to resign, pinch nan Kentucky State Attorney General’s agency investigating nan matter.

The national Health Resources and Services Administration is besides investigating nan allegations.

Hoover survived nan ordeal and is presently surviving pinch his sister arsenic he continues to recover.