Apple Watch saves a 78 year old man who was unconscious after life threatening fall
The Fall Detector on the Apple Watch has saved another life. Back in 2018, an Apple Watch wearer collapsed right next to a hot stove. Using the Apple Watch, he connected to his iPhone (which was in the next room over), called his mother-in-law who drove him to the hospital.
But that was then and as broadcast on North Carolina's Fox8 News last week, 78-year old Mike Yager was in his driveway in Summerfield when he took a hard fall. Since Yager is older than 65, Fall Detection is enabled by default on his Apple Watch. The device tried to rouse him by tapping his wrist and sounding an alarm. Since Mike didn't move for over 45 seconds, his Apple Watch dialed 911 and requested medical attention from the Summerfield Fire Department while sharing his location.
Yager might own and wear an Apple Watch, but it doesn't sound like he knows too much about the device. After being revived by the firemen that were summoned by his Apple Watch. Yager spoke with one of them. "The first thing I asked him was, 'How did you guys know to get here?' and he said, 'Your watch sent us a message,' and I said "What?"
Mike is still recovering from the broken nose he suffered in the fall and credits the Apple Watch with saving his life. And while the Apple Watch isn't as cheap as a Timex or Casio calculator watch, Yager says that the device is worth the expense, especially if you're older. "It’s kind of expensive but I think it’s well worth it if you are over 65 or something you definitely need to do something like that. I’m 78 so I qualify,"
Mike's wife Lori points out that without the Apple Watch making calls to her husband's contacts, things might have turned out differently. "I think the fact that it called with him being unconscious is the key because I wasn’t due to come home for another couple hours and who knows what would have happened whenever I got home," she pointed out.
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