Apple Watch’s fall detection feature turns a Messiah yet again!!! This time it saved the life of a Minnesota man who was hurt in a hit-and-run accident.
Apple Watch’s potential life-saving features such as irregular heart notification, ECG (for Atrial fibrillation), Fall Detection, and severe Crash Detection feature have saved a lot of people with timely alerts and quick medical attention.
As reported by CBS News, Michael Brodkorb from Eagan, Minnesota, was standing in front of his driveway in April and was on a call when he heard a loud car nearby. He went into the street to see what it was when a car sped around the corner and hit him.
“Took a few steps out into the street and the car came around the corner and just hit me,” Brodkorb said to CBS News. “I just was shocked. I mean, just the sheer force of what it’s like to get hit by a vehicle.”
According to Brodkorb, the driver continued driving and did not stop to check leaving him severely injured.
Thankfully, Brodkorb was wearing his Apple Watch, whose fall detection feature detected a severe impact and sensed that he could not stand. After he didn’t respond to the notification, the Apple Watch automatically dialed 911 and alerted the authorities about his condition.
The Apple Watch also texted his wife and kids in the house, telling them what had happened.
“The Apple Watch knew that I had taken a hard fall and that I wasn’t responding in a specific amount of time, so the watch called 911,” Brodkorb said. “I laid there, and my family had to come out and find me. That’s a difficult scenario.”
According to Eagen police, the driver involved in the accident was a 17-year-old boy “whose family reached out to the department after the crash.” Police have interviewed the teenager and are finishing their investigation before the decision on any charges is made.
“There’s clearly a criminal element to this,” Brodkorb said. “This was dangerous.”
The accident left Brodkorb with injuries to his ribs and tailbone from which he is recuperating now with support from family and friends, as well as the CEO of Apple.
Apparently, Brodkorb narrated the entire story to Apple CEO Tim Cook via an email without expecting a response. Surprisingly, the Apple CEO responded to his email in which he wished Brodkorb a quick recovery.
“[He] wished me a speedy recovery and let me know that this is why they design these type of features,” he said of his communication with the Apple CEO.
To know more about how to use fall detection with Apple Watch, you can click here.
