Topic overview
In brief
- Keith Lott suffered cardiac arrest on May 16, 2023, while trying to conceive with his wife.
- He was declared brain dead on May 19, 2023, and shortly after, NJ Sharing Network representatives sought to discuss organ donation.
- The family claims their wishes regarding Lott's organ donor status were ignored, leading to public outcry and an investigation.
Summary
In May 2023, Keith Lott, a 47-year-old man from Swedesboro, New Jersey, suffered a cardiac arrest while attempting to conceive a child with his wife, Brook. Following the incident on May 16, he was placed on a ventilator, and a CAT scan revealed swelling in his brain. By May 19, Lott was declared brain dead at 4:12 PM. Shortly after this declaration, representatives from the NJ Sharing Network arrived at the hospital to discuss organ donation, despite the family's insistence that Lott had opted out of being a donor after converting to Islam in 2023.
The family argued that Lott had removed himself from the organ donor registry in 2025, two years after his conversion, and presented his updated driver's license to the NJ Sharing Network representatives. However, the representatives reportedly dismissed the family's claims, stating that Lott should have formally removed himself from the registry. This led to a conflict between the family and the organ procurement organization, which insisted on proceeding with the organ harvesting process.