Kentucky Man Wakes on Table as Organ Team Preps Harvest Drill

Kentucky organ harvest nearly collects living donor: TJ Hoover, declared brain dead, reportedly opened his eyes and tracked relatives mid-honor walk at Kentucky hospital. Trending queries—"What happens if you wake up during organ harvesting?" and "Organ donor mistakes"—meet reality; surgical staff stopped, with a doctor later admitting, "I stopped it, he's not ready, he woke up."
After Hoover’s eyes locked onto his grieving family, a doctor halted the procedure, triggering a federal probe into Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates. "How do doctors confirm brain death before organ donation?" and "Organ procurement controversy" now trend, as surgical staff described the scene as "not settled, just thrashing"—imagine a hospital where honor walks suddenly require eye contact and a backup plan.
According to the surgical team, Hoover thrashed for 45 minutes on the operating table before the stunned doctor called off the harvest, leaving even the cardiologist baffled by the prognosis.