Doctor's error leads to the tragic death of a war veteran

The family of 70-year-old William Bryan from Alabama, who died last month, accuses a doctor of removing the wrong organ during surgery in Florida. Bryan, a war veteran and father of three, was married to Beverly for 33 years.

As reported by "The Guardian," instead of removing Bryan's spleen, Dr. Thomas Shaknowsky removed his liver, which led to immediate blood loss.

During a vacation, Bryan suddenly felt pain in his left side. A spleen abnormality was diagnosed based on examinations at Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital.

Contrary to their initial fears, the couple agreed to the operation after being persuaded by doctors about possible serious complications without surgical intervention.

The surgery, which took place on August 21, 2024, ended with the removal of the liver instead of the spleen, resulting in Bryan's death.

According to the family's lawyer, it was only after Bryan's death that it was revealed the wrong organ had been removed. Dr. Shaknowsky made a mistaken diagnosis based on the unnatural size and location of the organ, claiming that the "spleen" was four times larger and located on the opposite side of the body.

Beverly Bryan, seeking justice for her husband, has hired a lawyer and is demanding criminal and civil proceedings against Dr. Shaknowsky.

The doctor has not yet been charged and has no public complaints against him.

In a statement to the Miami Herald, Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital said it takes such allegations seriously and is conducting a thorough investigation. Bryan, a war veteran and father of three, was married to Beverly for 33 years.