Danella Gallegos, 38, was nearly declared dead and prepped for organ donation in 2022—until she suddenly woke up. Doctors had told her family she wouldn’t survive after falling into a coma at Presbyterian Hospital in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Her family agreed to donate her organs, and New Mexico Donor Services began preparations. But on the day of surgery, Danella’s sisters noticed she moved and blinked. Shocked, doctors realized she was alive.

“I feel so fortunate,” Danella later said. “It’s crazy to think how close things came to ending differently.”

A New York Times report claims an organ coordinator urged doctors to continue, calling her reactions “just reflexes.” Thankfully, the medical team refused, and Danella went on to make a full recovery.

Presbyterian Hospital has launched an investigation. Donor Services claimed they don’t control patient care, contradicting some hospital staff who said they felt pressured to proceed.

This isn’t the only case. In 2021, another man in Kentucky was nearly prepped for donation while still alive—but a quick-thinking surgeon stopped the procedure in time.