An organ harvesting organization is facing allegations that it urged doctors to remove body parts from a comatose woman, who went on to make a full recovery after medics insisted she showed signs of life. Danella Gallegos (pictured below) said she feels lucky to be alive after her organs were almost taken by pushy donor bosses when she fell into a coma in 2022. Gallegos, who was 38 at the time, was homeless when she suffered an unspecified medical emergency. Doctors at Presbyterian Hospital in Albuquerque, New Mexico, told her family she would never recover. Without any hope, her family agreed to donate her organs, and preparations were made with the procurement organization New Mexico Donor Services. In her final days, Gallegos’ family said they saw tears in her eyes, a sign they say donation coordinators brushed off, claiming watery eyes were just a reflex. On the day the organs were set to be harvested, Gallegos’ sister said she saw Danella move while holding her hand. Doctors in a pre-surgery room were left stunned when Gallegos, who was still medically alive, was able to blink her eyes on the medic’s command. The organ coordinator in the room instructed doctors to administer morphine and move ahead with the organ removal. Gallegos’ doctors defied the coordinators and brought her out of surgery. Danella was able to go on to make a full recovery. Presbyterian Hospital then launched an investigation.
