The Life-or-Death Decisions Your Family Shouldn't Have to Make Alone
Why medical planning matters more than you think — and what to do about it
When most people think about estate planning, they picture wills, trusts, and splitting up the house and the money. But there’s one part of planning that’s just as critical — and way more urgent:
What happens to your body when you can’t speak for yourself?
What if the decisions are about your life support, your care, or even your organs? And what if those decisions are made… before you're actually gone?
This really happened.
According to a 2025 investigation by the New York Times, the family of Anthony Thomas Hoover II faced a nightmare scenario back in 2021. He had overdosed and was near death. Doctors advised the family to remove life support and donate his organs — so they made the agonizing decision to say goodbye.
But as the team prepped for organ removal, Hoover woke up.
He pulled his knees to his chest. Cried. Shook his head “no.”
A hospital physician stepped in and stopped the procedure.
Hoover lived, though with neurological damage.
Let that sit for a minute.
This isn’t a one-off case. The federal investigation reviewed over 350 similar situations and flagged 73 cases where patients showed signs of life during organ donation prep. Some survived. Others didn’t.
What did they all have in common?
No clear, documented instructions from the patient.
If your loved ones were in that position… would they know what you want?
It’s one of the hardest truths in estate planning:
If you don’t decide ahead of time, someone else will.
And that “someone” might be a stranger, a hospital administrator, or a family member who’s panicking in the moment. When you don’t have the right legal documents in place, hospitals default to state law — and that can mean decisions are made by people who don’t know (or agree with) your values.
What happens when you haven’t made a plan?
Hospitals follow a standard process when there's no clear medical directive:
They’ll check your driver’s license for organ donor status
Search for advance directives in your medical record
If nothing’s there, they default to state law — which usually prioritizes your spouse, then adult children, then parents or siblings
But what if you're estranged from your spouse?
What if your kids disagree?
What if the person legally chosen has no clue what you'd actually want?
In emergency situations, time is short. Emotions are high. Medical teams need quick answers. And without clear legal instructions, your loved ones may be forced into impossible decisions — fast.
The documents that protect you (and how they work)
You don’t need a complicated setup to avoid this nightmare. You need the right legal tools, working together, and updated to reflect your current values.
Here’s what we include in your Life & Legacy Plan:
1. Living Will
Outlines your preferences for life-sustaining treatments like ventilators, resuscitation, and artificial nutrition. It tells your family and doctors what to do if you can’t.
2. Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare
Names the person you want making medical decisions for you. Without this, hospitals follow state law — and it may not reflect your actual relationships.
3. HIPAA Authorization
Allows your chosen decision-maker to access your private medical info. (Yes, even your spouse or parents can be denied access without this.)
4. Organ Donation Instructions
We go beyond checking the box at the DMV. Your wishes about donation are clearly outlined and legally integrated into your plan — so there’s no confusion, no guesswork, and no mistakes.
But documents alone aren’t enough
Here’s where most traditional estate plans fall short:
They sit in a drawer.
They don’t get updated.
And no one knows where they are when it matters.
Even if your documents are perfectly written, they won’t help if:
Your family doesn’t know they exist
They're outdated or no longer reflect your values
Your healthcare proxy is unavailable
The hospital can’t access them in time
And even more important: paperwork can’t replace a conversation.
You still need to talk to your loved ones about what you want — and why. When people understand your intentions, they’re far more likely to advocate for you, avoid conflict, and find peace in their choices.
So... who do your loved ones turn to when it all goes sideways?
When you create a Life & Legacy Plan with me, I’m not just your lawyer. I become your family’s guide — in the thick of the crisis, when everything feels confusing and urgent.
If something happens to you, your loved ones won’t be left digging through files or Googling what to do next.
They’ll have me — someone who already knows your values, your wishes, and how to make your plan work when it matters most.
If the idea of being treated like an organ donor before you're gone makes your stomach turn…
You’re not alone.
What happened to Anthony Hoover and others like him is horrifying — but preventable.
A Life & Legacy Plan isn’t just a formality. It’s the difference between chaos and clarity… between trauma and peace.
Let’s make sure your voice is heard — even when you can’t speak for yourself.
Book your 15-minute discovery call today
We'll walk through what matters most, make sure your plan actually works, and give your loved ones the support they’ll need when the time comes.
