‘Beyond upsetting’: Life support removed from wrong patient after hospital mix-up, family files lawsuit

A tragic mistake at

PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center

in Vancouver, Washington, led to the

wrongful removal of life support

from the wrong patient, ultimately causing his death.

David Wells

was mistakenly identified as his hospital roommate,

Mike Beehler

.
In August 2021, Wells was rushed to the hospital after choking on a piece of steak. However, due to a mix-up, hospital staff believed Wells was Beehler and mistakenly contacted Beehler’s sister, Debbie Danielson, asking her to make the decision about removing life support, the New York Post reports.

“They said, ‘He’s basically brain dead,’” Danielson recalled. “’Do you want us to keep him on life support or do you want to pull the plug?’” Believing she was making the right choice for her brother, Danielson agreed to end life support.
A week later, Danielson received a phone call from her brother—alive and well—which made her realize the devastating mistake.

“I said, ‘You can’t be alive. You’re dead!’” she told reporters.
Wells' body had already been sent to a funeral home, and death notices had even been published in the local newspaper, mistakenly listing Beehler as the deceased. Beehler’s family, along with Wells’ son, soon discovered the error when police and medical officials confirmed that it was Wells who had died, not Beehler.
Shawn Wells, David’s son, described the situation as “disturbing” and said the decision made on his father’s behalf is something he can never undo. “I’ll never be able to get that decision back,” he told local news.
Wells' family and Beehler’s relatives have filed lawsuits against PeaceHealth, the ambulance service, and others involved. They are seeking compensation for the negligence and

emotional distress

caused by this life-changing mistake.
“This is beyond upsetting,” said Wells’ son. “They dropped the ball so egregiously.”