Kentucky man pronounced dead after an overdose wakes up during his organ removal surgery

According to the NHS, everyone is considered to be an organ donor in the UK, if you remain healthy that is, unless you take action to refuse the donation. This is called the 'opt-out' system. In the US, this is not the case and there are around 40 organ donors for every million people. Statistically, more organs are also donated in countries such as France, Italy and the UK.

Opt in vs. Opt out

So why are European countries more prone to organ donation? Well, in the United States, as well as in Germany for example, the deceased's closest relative has to tell doctors whether the patient is a willing organ donor. This is called the 'opt-in' system. That means you are not automatically an organ donor in these countries, unlike in the UK. The consequences of the 'opt-out' system, where everyone is considered as an organ donor unless they say otherwise, are extremely positive. This system saves countless lives every day.

One may ask: if the results are so positive, why isn't every country opting for this solution? Well, some people are worried doctors might start removing your organs when you are not in fact dead. This may sound like a very unlikely scenario, but one man from Kentucky sadly experienced that ordeal. Experts from t-online are saying this is definitely an isolated case.

The unusual event in Richmond, Kentucky

In October 2021, a serious incident occurred during an organ harvesting procedure in Richmond, Kentucky, which has only recently been made public. Although the patient was pronounced dead, he showed clear signs of life in the operating room. The medical team was understandably horrified, and the operation was immediately cancelled, as the US radio station NPR reports.

Ladonna Rhorer, the sister of the affected Anthony Thomas Hoover, only found out about the incident in January of this year, according to t-online. Since then, she has been actively involved in investigating the case and has since taken over the patient's legal guardianship.

Frightening details only come to light late

Natasha Miller, an organ harvester, was the first to notice the irregularities on site, according to t-online. She later informed Ladonna Rhorer of the shocking details. Natasha Miller reported that the patient was moving in his bed and tears were running down his face. She said, as quoted by The Independent:

And then when we went over there, you could see he had tears coming down. He was crying visibly.

As a result, the two doctors in charge of the procedure decided not to go on with the surgery.

The patient had previously been declared dead due to an overdose and had then been prepared for organ donation. All of this is actually done according to strict guidelines. Various authorities are now involved in the investigation of the matter - but the organizations involved speak of an isolated case.

This article has been translated from Oh!MyMag DE.

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Sources used:

t-online: Man believed dead wakes up during organ harvesting

The Guardian: Kentucky man declared brain dead wakes up during organ harvesting

NHS: Organ donation