In a chilling case of negligence, a Washington hospital is under fire for a tragic mistake that cost an innocent man his life and left two families devastated. PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver is facing lawsuits after hospital staff misidentified an unconscious patient, leading to life-ending decisions being made by the wrong family.
The tragedy began in August 2021 when David Wells, 69, was rushed to the hospital after choking on a piece of steak. Unconscious and unable to breathe, Wells was admitted and placed on life support. However, due to a stunning error, hospital staff identified him as his roommate, Mike Beehler, and contacted Beehler’s sister, Debbie Danielson, to make a heart-wrenching decision.
Believing her brother to be brain-dead, Danielson made the agonizing choice to end his life support. “They said, ‘He’s basically brain-dead,’” Danielson recounted. “Do you want us to keep him on life support or do you want to pull the plug?” She consented to what she thought was her brother’s end-of-life decision.
A week later, the unimaginable happened: Danielson received a phone call from her supposedly deceased brother. “I said, ‘You can’t be alive. You’re dead!’” she recalled. The horrifying revelation came with a sobering truth—she had made life-ending decisions for a man she didn’t even know.
The cascade of errors didn’t stop there. After Wells passed away, the hospital reported his death under Beehler’s name to the county medical examiner, and a death notice for Beehler was published in the local newspaper. Wells’ body was sent to a funeral home, which contacted Beehler’s family for final arrangements.
Only when Beehler himself contacted the police to report the mix-up did the truth emerge. The medical examiner’s office confirmed that it was David Wells who had died. His son, Shawn Wells, was notified about the tragedy in a manner that only deepened the family’s grief.
“They told me there was a medical emergency regarding my father. He had been pronounced dead,” Shawn Wells said. “I’m at a loss for words. I’ll never be able to get that decision back.”
The families of Wells and Beehler have filed lawsuits against PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center, alleging gross negligence and emotional distress. “They dropped the ball so egregiously,” Shawn Wells said, describing the ordeal as “disturbing” and irreparable.
The lawsuit also names American Medical Response ambulance service, All County Cremation & Burial funeral home, and the Clark County Medical Examiner’s Office for their roles in the misidentification.
While PeaceHealth has declined to comment in detail due to ongoing litigation, a spokesperson claimed the hospital has since strengthened its patient identification processes, saying, “Our unwavering commitment to caring for our community remains stronger than ever.”
This devastating incident highlights the critical importance of accuracy and accountability in healthcare. For the families involved, the pain of losing a loved one has been compounded by the knowledge that their loss resulted from a preventable mistake. As the lawsuits move forward, the hope is that this tragedy will serve as a wake-up call for hospitals nationwide to ensure no family ever faces such unimaginable heartbreak again.
