"Americans who choose to become organ donors deserve a system that honors their gift and protects every patient," said Kennedy. "We were told TJ had no reflexes, no responses, no brainwaves, no brain activity," Hoover's sister, Donna Rhorer, told WDKY-TV. Fortunately, the doctors refused ultimately to go through with the organ procurement. OPOs only have the authority to proceed with organ recovery after a patient’s independent health care provider has declared death. "The organ procurement organizations that coordinate access to transplants will be held accountable."