“My brother grabbed the doctor’s hand as he tried to harvest his organs…”
asserted
he → grab → organs
Donna Rhorer’s account of what happened to her brother, Anthony Thomas “TJ” Hoover II, has become central to a case raising serious questions about patient safety and oversight in the US organ donation system.
asserted
what → happen → system
Hoover, who was taken for organ donation after a drug overdose in Kentucky in October 2021, showed signs of life as preparations for organ retrieval progressed.
asserted
preparations → take → retrieval
Nearly five years later, the case has drawn renewed scrutiny after US authorities moved to decertify Network for Hope, the organisation responsible for coordinating organ donations in the region.
asserted
authorities → draw → region
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced on August 5, 2026, that it had begun the process of decertifying Network for Hope following federal reviews that identified concerning patient-safety practices in multiple cases involving potential organ donors.
asserted
that → announce → donors
Rhorer described her experience in testimony at the Kentucky Attorney General’s office, recounting how her family had been told that Hoover had no reflexes or brain activity and would not recover.
asserted
Hoover → describe → reflexes
They agreed to withdraw life support and honour his wishes to become an organ donor.
asserted
They → agree → wishes
However, she said, his behaviour during the subsequent preparations raised questions about whether he was still alive.
asserted
he → say → questions
“I was there, I saw what happened to my brother.
asserted
what → see → brother
They prepared to recover his organs while he was still alive.
asserted
he → prepare → organs
During that honour walk his eyes were open, he was tracking me and they told me it was just reflex,” Rhorer testified.
asserted
Rhorer → track → me
“And then during the heart cath, he was thrashing, crying and grabbing the doctor's hands to stop him.
asserted
he → thrash → him
Even after those signs the organ procurement continued until the physician refused to proceed.”
asserted
physician → continue → signs
Rhorer also alleged that a coordinator contacted the organisation’s home office after the doctor refused to continue, only to be told to find another surgeon or risk losing her job.
asserted
doctor → allege → job
“One of the organisation’s own coordinators called the home office after the doctor refused, she was told, ‘find another surgeon or you'll lose your job because we're finishing this case.
asserted
we → call → case
My brother almost died that day, that should never happen to anyone.
asserted
that → die → anyone
Laws and standards were clearly violated, those responsible must be held accountable,” she said.
asserted
she → violate → ?
When the procedure was stopped, Rhorer said, the family was told to take Hoover home and make him comfortable because he was not expected to survive much longer.
asserted
he → stop → Hoover
I'm grateful every day for that but he is not the same, he has nightmares, he struggles remembering things and he asked me 'sis, why do they wanna kill me?'
asserted
they → have → me
I don't have an answer for him,” she said.
asserted
she → have → him
Procedure stopped, but questions remained
Hoover’s case came to wider public attention in October 2024, when NPR reported accounts from witnesses who said he had shown signs of life during preparations for organ recovery.
asserted
he → stop → recovery
The Guardian also reported on the incident, including the concerns raised by former employees of the Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA), the organisation now known as Network for Hope.
asserted
Guardian → report → Hope
Former KODA employee Nyckoletta Martin and organ-preservationist Natasha Miller raised concerns about Hoover’s condition.
asserted
Martin → raise → condition
Miller, whose work involved preserving organs after removal, reportedly witnessed Hoover thrashing and crying on the operating table.
uncertain
Hoover → involve → table
Other accounts described him moving his head and pulling his knees towards his chest.
asserted
him → describe → chest
The organ retrieval was ultimately stopped after a physician refused to proceed.
asserted
physician → stop → ?
Rhorer said the family was not initially given a full explanation of what had happened.
asserted
what → say → explanation
She later learned more about the incident after a former KODA employee contacted her in January 2024.
asserted
employee → learn → January
Hoover survived, but his family has described lasting difficulties with memory and other aspects of his daily life.
asserted
family → survive → life
Rhorer’s account has since become part of a wider debate over the responsibilities of organ procurement organisations (OPOs), which coordinate donations between hospitals, potential donors and transplant centres.
asserted
which → become → hospitals
Federal investigation identifies wider concerns
asserted
investigation → identify → concerns
The controversy intensified after federal authorities examined hundreds of cases handled by Network for Hope.
asserted
authorities → intensify → Hope
In its August 5, 2026 announcement, HHS said the Health Resources and Services Administration had reviewed 351 cases between 2021 and 2024 in which organ donation had been authorised but ultimately did not proceed.
asserted
donation → say → which
Of those cases, 103 had concerning features, according to the department.
uncertain
103 → have → department
It said 73 patients displayed neurological signs incompatible with organ donation.
asserted
patients → say → donation
The review raised concerns about neurological assessments, communication between medical teams, consent practices and the classification of causes of death, particularly in cases involving drug overdoses.
asserted
review → raise → overdoses
The findings do not mean that organs were removed from all the patients reviewed.
asserted
organs → mean → patients
Instead, they point to concerns about the assessments and preparations undertaken before donation could proceed.
uncertain
donation → point → assessments
Organ recovery must follow the applicable medical and legal requirements for determining death.
asserted
recovery → follow → death
US authorities move to decertify Network for Hope
asserted
authorities → move → Hope
…and 12 more, not listed.
The Aporia
