Son Describes Heartbreak After Mother's Death Following Florida Surgeon's Botched Surgery

Dorothy Dorsett, 70, died more than a week after Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky performed surgery on her in 2023, according to court records.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 5:37pm

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An extreme close-up of a medical instrument or piece of evidence related to the botched surgeries, captured in stark, dramatic lighting that conveys the gravity and urgency of the situation.The harsh, unforgiving light of an investigation into medical malpractice exposes the grim realities behind these tragic deaths.Miramar Beach Today

Weyman Dorsett, the son of Dorothy Dorsett, has spoken out for the first time since his mother's death in 2023, describing the heartbreak of watching her suffer and die after a botched surgery performed by Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky. Dorsett has filed a lawsuit against Shaknovsky and the hospital, accusing them of negligence. Shaknovsky was later arrested for allegedly removing the wrong organ during a surgery on another patient, William Bryan, who also died.

Why it matters

This case highlights ongoing concerns about medical malpractice and the devastating impact it can have on patients and their families. It also raises questions about oversight and accountability in the healthcare system, particularly when it comes to surgeons with a history of mistakes.

The details

According to the lawsuit, on July 24, 2023, Dorothy Dorsett was admitted to the hospital with abdominal pain and diagnosed with gastrointestinal bleeding and acute blood loss anemia. The next day, Shaknovsky performed a colonoscopy and found a tumor in her digestive tract, which he removed on July 27. However, Shaknovsky did not perform a routine test that would have ensured there were no leaks in her newly joined intestine. Dorsett's condition immediately started to deteriorate, and she was moved to the ICU on Aug. 2. She died on Aug. 4, with the complaint stating that Shaknovsky failed to order appropriate diagnostic testing and delayed in treating her sepsis.

  • On July 24, 2023, Dorothy Dorsett was admitted to the hospital.
  • On July 25, 2023, the Dorsett family met Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky.
  • On July 27, 2023, Shaknovsky performed surgery to remove a tumor from Dorothy Dorsett's digestive tract.
  • On Aug. 2, 2023, Dorothy Dorsett was moved to the ICU.
  • On Aug. 4, 2023, Dorothy Dorsett passed away at 5:29 a.m.

The players

Weyman Dorsett

The son of Dorothy Dorsett, who has filed a lawsuit against Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky and the hospital, accusing them of negligence in his mother's death.

Dorothy Dorsett

A 70-year-old woman who died more than a week after Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky performed surgery on her in 2023.

Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky

The surgeon who performed the surgery on Dorothy Dorsett and was later arrested for allegedly removing the wrong organ during a surgery on another patient, William Bryan, who also died.

William Bryan

A 70-year-old patient who died after Shaknovsky operated on him, with prosecutors alleging that Shaknovsky accidentally removed Bryan's liver instead of his spleen.

Beverly Bryan

The widow of William Bryan, who filed a civil lawsuit against Shaknovsky accusing the surgeon of causing her husband's death.

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What they’re saying

“I'll never forget and it'll never leave my mind, the look on that doctor's face as he was reading through the files. ... He was just shaking his head, like: 'what in the living hell is going on?'”

— Weyman Dorsett

“She just started really spiraling, pain. She was not my mom.”

— Weyman Dorsett

“Until you go through it yourself, and to be there with my mom and watch her suffer, and to be there when she takes her last breath has been devastating. I suffer every day. It's a haunting memory that I can't erase out of my mind.”

— Weyman Dorsett

What’s next

Shaknovsky was indicted by a grand jury on a charge of second-degree manslaughter in the death of William Bryan, and the lawsuit filed by Weyman Dorsett against Shaknovsky and the hospital remains ongoing.

The takeaway

This tragic case highlights the devastating impact that medical malpractice can have on patients and their families, and the urgent need for greater accountability and oversight in the healthcare system to prevent such tragedies from occurring.